Covid travel update for Canada - Omicron variant

The covid travel rules for Canadians entering and exiting Jamaica have NOT changed.

As of Nov.30th...you now have to be fully vaccinated as a Canadian to fly.

Please read thoroughly and provide required information at...
https://vistjamaica.com.
A negative antigen test is required for entry into Jamaica. Test results are almost immediate

Covid entry requirements provided below for your return to Canada...
https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/tr...ntering-canada.
A negative PCR test is required to be taken "within 72 hours of your scheduled flight" to Canada. Test results take 24 to 48 hours.
Jamaica is well versed in providing these tests and this should cost around $75us each currently.
Your hotel can help you arrange for testing.

What options are available if the US begins requiring a PCR test within 24 hours of flight time?? Is there anyone offering the rapid PCR test??

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rumlover

What options are available if the US begins requiring a PCR test within 24 hours of flight time?? Is there anyone offering the rapid PCR test??

---

We'll update as soon as we hear the new requirements for the US, Rumlover. 👍

Good old (let's go) Brandon will announce his plans to save the USA tomorrow. My vacation ticker is at 26 days. My real ticker won't be able to handle cancelling last minute 2 years in a row. If only he would read the Daily Mail and stop listening to Fauci.

Thanks Bnewb, hopefully that’s coming tomorrow. Just our luck that rules change once again just as we are headed down. Travel stress will melt away as soon as I put my feet in the water! Looking forward to running into you guys.

Politics aside (please, no more), but according to the actual doctors handling the actual cases of this new strain, Omicron spreads easily but has much reduced symptoms. Body aches seem to be the worst.

Viruses have existed millions of years and mutate into a version that allows it to spread but not kill its hosts. Without hosts, the virus would cease to exist. Viruses want to exist.

The flu of 1918 that killed a much larger percentage of the global population than Covid, is now known as the H1N1 virus. We all have probably already had and certainly exposed to to H1N1. Viruses eventually mutate into forms that all them to thrive and spread, but not kill their hosts.

We could be seeing the beginning of this evolution. The global knee jerk reaction is in no way helping South Africa.

I wish those that say that they follow the science would truly follow the science.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rob

Politics aside (please, no more), but according to the actual doctors handling the actual cases of this new strain, Omicron spreads easily but has much reduced symptoms. Body aches seem to be the worst.

Viruses have existed millions of years and mutate into a version that allows it to spread but not kill its hosts. Without hosts, the virus would cease to exist. Viruses want to exist.

The flu of 1918 that killed a much larger percentage of the global population than Covid, is now known as the H1N1 virus. We all have probably already had and certainly exposed to to H1N1. Viruses eventually mutate into forms that all them to thrive and spread, but not kill their hosts.

We could be seeing the beginning of this evolution. The global knee jerk reaction is in no way helping South Africa.

I wish those that say that they follow the science would truly follow the science.

---

Sorry Rob. Sometimes, I cant help myself. Mostly because I am taking the time to follow the science and to exercise critical thinking.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lax1724

Good old (let's go) Brandon will announce his plans to save the USA tomorrow. My vacation ticker is at 26 days. My real ticker won't be able to handle cancelling last minute 2 years in a row. If only he would read the Daily Mail and stop listening to Fauci.

---

they did not yet announce that it’s 24 hours prior to the flight to get back into the US. They said the CDC will put out their guidelines but I think it’s still 72 hours?????

Yes it is going to be within 24 hours by next week. Rob which sites have 24 hour turnaround?

Every Antigen site... some process it while you wait. It can be done at your hotel by many outside medical sources.

Bnewb, it was asked but didn’t see an answer. Is their a rapid PCR testing location in Negril or Mbj? A Canadian here that is curious. I do know they standard PCR tests seem to be coming back within 24 hours from what I have heard from fellow Canadians.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by stonyplainclint

Bnewb, it was asked but didn’t see an answer. Is their a rapid PCR testing location in Negril or Mbj? A Canadian here that is curious. I do know they standard PCR tests seem to be coming back within 24 hours from what I have heard from fellow Canadians.

---

Directly from the Visitjamaica.com website....

When will I receive my results?

The PCR test results will be sent directly to you via the email address provided when booking. Results will be emailed between 24 to 48 hours from when the sample was collected.

Rob- We are staying at the BHC and I'm assuming they wont have testing available. Any suggestions?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mfreizin

Yes it is going to be within 24 hours by next week. Rob which sites have 24 hour turnaround?

---

For USA, it's been clarified as a day, versus 24 hours.

For example, if your flight is at 1pm on a Friday, you could board with a negative test that was taken any time on the prior Thursday.

"Timing Requirements" of this page:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...travelers.html

Thanks for the info bnewb. We will keep watching & making sure we're up on the current requirements when we get closer to our travel date.

Rob, I had H1N1 ( when it was THE problem) which lasted 6 weeks but it was not that bad. If we are double and triple vaxed then I say - BOOK your trip. It took me a while because I , too, was cancelled twice (gov't of Can), and hope that I can go this time.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SLP

Rob, I had H1N1 ( when it was THE problem) which lasted 6 weeks but it was not that bad. If we are double and triple vaxed then I say - BOOK your trip. It took me a while because I , too, was cancelled twice (gov't of Can), and hope that I can go this time.

---

That is kinda my point. When you had H1N1, it was a problem, not the deadly Spanish Flu that killed approximately 3% of the global population. In today's population, that would be well over 200 million people. In comparison, Covid has taken the lives of 5.3 million people.

H1N1 was a nasty flu when you had it, but in 1918 it was a global killer. Viruses mutate into less deadly forms because it is not in their best interest to kill their hosts.

Get vaxxed and come on down! Jamaica is starting its booster shot program and I will be getting my booster hopefully this week!

Sunwing cancelled our friends flight from Nova Scotia for the end of January.

Things have changed since yesterday. This is the latest advice on the Gov't of Canada Web site

COVID-19 - Global travel advisory
Effective date: December 15, 2021

Avoid non-essential travel outside Canada.

This advisory overrides all other advisories on this page, with the exception of those where we advise against all travel. Continue to avoid all cruise ship travel outside of Canada.

Jamaica
Last updated: December 15, 2021 14:49 ET

Still valid: December 16, 2021 07:09 ET

Latest updates: Risk level(s) - Avoid non-essential travel outside of Canada until further notice

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rob

Politics aside (please, no more), but according to the actual doctors handling the actual cases of this new strain, Omicron spreads easily but has much reduced symptoms. Body aches seem to be the worst.

Viruses have existed millions of years and mutate into a version that allows it to spread but not kill its hosts. Without hosts, the virus would cease to exist. Viruses want to exist.

The flu of 1918 that killed a much larger percentage of the global population than Covid, is now known as the H1N1 virus. We all have probably already had and certainly exposed to to H1N1. Viruses eventually mutate into forms that all them to thrive and spread, but not kill their hosts.

We could be seeing the beginning of this evolution. The global knee jerk reaction is in no way helping South Africa.

I wish those that say that they follow the science would truly follow the science.

---

Nicely said Rob

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rob

according to the actual doctors handling the actual cases of this new strain, Omicron spreads easily but has much reduced symptoms. Body aches seem to be the worst.

---

I was SO optimistic at those early reports.

Unfortunately, the science on the new strain is developing as more data in more countries becomes available.

Early reports hadn't allow the hospitalizations/deaths to occur yet.

Still shocked that Jamaica hasn't mandated fully vax'd for tourists yet.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ThePachenas

I was SO optimistic at those early reports.

Unfortunately, the science on the new strain is developing as more data in more countries becomes available.

Early reports hadn't allow the hospitalizations/deaths to occur yet.

Still shocked that Jamaica hasn't mandated fully vax'd for tourists yet.

---

Correct for the latest countries to become infected with Omicron.

But in South Africa, which now has over a month of data, the more transmissible less deadly and less hospitalizations is still holding its pattern. Several hospitals are reporting less patients this week.

For other countries there just hasn't been time to collect adequate data yet...

Follow the actual science... and South Africa is all we have. And they have great DNA sequencing there, no guesswork on the variant

I find it puzzling that the US requires citizens arriving from other countries to be fully vaccinated, but not their own citizens, arriving from those same countries.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rob

I find it puzzling that the US requires citizens arriving from other countries to be fully vaccinated, but not their own citizens, arriving from those same countries.

---

Canada is similar -- but has quarantine rules if not vaccinated.

I think, in very general terms, citizens have a right to come "home".

Jamaica could easily allow its citizens to return unvaccinated (with requisite quarantine), but require all category 2, 3 and 4 visitors to be full vaccinated.