CDC Info page
The CDC has announced that effective Jan 26th 2021 all US citizens require a negative Covid test (PCR or Antigen) via a viral test and with laboratory results with in 72 hours of re entry into the United States via air travel. Here is a link to the CDC website for all current information.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html
The Canadian Government announced that starting January 7, 2021, air travellers 5 years of age or older are required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result to the airline prior to boarding international flights bound for Canada. Here is a link to the Canadian governement website for all current information
https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/flying#health-check


Does this requirement apply to US citizens?
This Order applies to all air passengers, 2 years of age or older, traveling into the US, including US citizens and legal permanent residents.
Does this Order apply to land border crossings?
No, the requirements of this Order only apply to air travel into the US.
Who is checking to make sure that people have a negative test or documentation of recovery before they board a plane to the US?
The airline will confirm a COVID-19 negative test result or documentation of recovery for all passengers before boarding.
What is a verifiable test result?
A verifiable test result must be in the form of written documentation (paper or electronic copy) of a laboratory test result. Testing must be performed using a viral test (NAAT or antigen), and negative results must be presented to the airline prior to boarding. The test result documentation must include information that identifies the person, a specimen collection date and the type of test. A negative test result must show test was done within the 3 days before the flight. A positive test result must show the test was done within the 3 months before the flight.
Who is checking to make sure that people have a negative test or documentation of recovery before they board a plane to the US?
The airline will confirm a COVID-19 negative test result or documentation of recovery for all passengers before boarding.
What kind of documentation of my test result do I need to present?
CDC requires that air passengers arriving in the US have a paper or electronic copy of their test result for review by the airline before you board and for potential review by public health officials after you arrive in the US.
When do I need to get a test to travel to the US and what kind of test do I need?
Get tested no more than 3 days before your flight to the US departs. Make sure to be tested with a viral test (NAAT or antigen test) to determine if you are currently infected with COVID-19. Also make sure that you receive your results before your flight departs and have documentation of your results to show the airline.
What if my test result is positive?
People who test positive or show symptoms before leaving should voluntarily isolate themselves and postpone their trip until they have recovered from COVID-19. Airlines should prevent boarding of anyone who fails to present a negative COVID-19 test or recovery documentation.
For any traveller who tests positive, depending on if they have symptoms, it is recommended that they isolate for 10 to 14 days. They can book a video appt with our doctor and he can provide them with a recovery letter.
For a traveller who has tested positive they will be able to board a flight with the following two documents.
What documentation of my test result or recovery certificate must I submit?
Before boarding a flight to the United States, you must submit a hard copy or electronic copy of your negative test result to the airline and for review by public health authorities if requested upon arrival in the United States.
If you are traveling with a certificate of recovery, you must submit electronic or paper copies of your positive result (dated no earlier than 90 days) and a signed letter, on official letterhead, stating your name, address, and address. phone number of a licensed health care provider or public health official certifying that you have been discharged and can leave isolation and consequently travel. A letter stating that you were released from isolation and can return to work or school is also acceptable. The letter does not have to specifically mention the trip.
What if I recently recovered from COVID-19?
CDC does not recommend getting tested again in the three months after a positive viral test, as long as you do not have symptoms of COVID-19. If you have had a positive viral test in the past 3 months, and you have met the criteria to end isolation, you may travel instead with documentation of your positive viral test results and a letter from your healthcare provider or a public health official that states you have been cleared for travel. The positive test result and letter together are referred to as “documentation of recovery.”
A letter from your healthcare provider or a public health official that clears you to end isolation, e.g., to return to work or school, can be used to show you are cleared to travel, even if travel isn’t specifically mentioned in the letter.
What if I have had a COVID-19 vaccine or have tested positive for antibodies? Do I still need a negative COVID-19 test or documentation of recovery from COVID-19?
Yes, at this time all air passengers traveling to the US, regardless of vaccination or antibody status, are required to provide a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery.
Do I still need a test if my trip is shorter than 3 days?
Yes, you will still need a test if your trip is shorter than 3 days. A viral test done in the US can be used to fulfill the requirements of the Order as long as the specimen was taken no more than 3 days before your return flight departs.
If your return travel is delayed longer than 3 days after your test, you will need to be retested before your return flight.
Do passengers also need to have a copy of their attestation as well as the airline retaining it?
Passengers are only required to retain a paper or electronic copy of their negative test result or documentation of recovery for the entirety of their itinerary. The attestation should be submitted to and retained by the airline or aircraft operator.
What happens if my flight is delayed and it goes over the 3-day limit for testing?
If your flight is delayed before departure, you will need to get re-tested if the delay causes your test to fall outside of the 3-day pre-departure testing period requirement.
If I am connecting through the US to another country, do I still need to get tested?
Yes. Any flight entering the US, even for a connection, will require testing before departure.
What you need to show at the airport?
You must present a negative laboratory test (paper or electronic proof of result) to the airline or private operator before coming to Canada. The negative laboratory test result must include:
- Traveller name and date of birth
- Name and civic address of the laboratory/clinic/facility that administered the test
- The date on which the test was conducted
- The method of test conducted (PCR or LAMP)
- The test result
Travellers must ensure that the COVID-19 test includes all the above-noted elements.
What if I recently recovered from COVID-19?
CDC does not recommend getting tested again in the three months after a positive viral test, as long as you do not have symptoms of COVID-19. If you have had a positive viral test in the past 3 months, and you have met the criteria to end isolation, you may travel instead with documentation of your positive viral test results and a letter from your healthcare provider or a public health official that states you have been cleared for travel. The positive test result and letter together are referred to as “documentation of recovery.”
A letter from your healthcare provider or a public health official that clears you to end isolation, e.g., to return to work or school, can be used to show you are cleared to travel, even if travel isn’t specifically mentioned in the letter.
What if I have had a COVID-19 vaccine or have tested positive for antibodies? Do I still need a negative COVID-19 test or documentation of recovery from COVID-19?
Yes, at this time all air passengers traveling to Canada, regardless of vaccination or antibody status, are required to provide a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery.
When do I need to get a test to travel to the US and what kind of test do I need?
Get tested no more than 3 days before your flight to Canada departs. Make sure to be tested with PCR, LAMP, RT-LAMP, NAA, NAAT to determine if you are currently infected with COVID-19. Also make sure that you receive your results before your flight departs and have documentation of your results to show the airline.