Cruising after having COVID

[NaiNoNo]

Hi - some of you might remember I had to cancel my Jan 29 sailing because my husband and I tested positive.   We are planning on cruising again in March and will take an Antigen test from Shoppers in order to get on the boat but I am curious about coming home.  We both have positive PCR test results - do we need to test to come home?  Or is that sufficient?

 

thanks in advance

Edited January 31, 2022 by NaiNoNo

[CKCruising]

6 minutes ago, NaiNoNo said:

Hi - some of you might remember I had to cancel my Jan 29 sailing because my husband and I tested positive.   We are planning on cruising again in March and will take an Antigen test from Shoppers in order to get on the boat but I am curious about coming home.  We both have positive PCR test results - do we need to test to come home?  Or is that sufficient?

 

thanks in advance

If you have a Positive PCR test between 11 and 180 days old, you don't need a negative PCR test to come home, you can enter the positive test in ArriveCAN.

Also note, that you can't get an antigen test at SDM if you tested positive within 90 days  (There is a different thread on this).

[NaiNoNo]

Ok thanks! And there are other options for me for antigen testing - shoppers was just the easiest.  But good to know I won't have to spend $ to get a PCR test to come home 🙂 

Edited January 31, 2022 by NaiNoNo

[Fouremco]

40 minutes ago, NaiNoNo said:

Ok thanks! And there are other options for me for antigen testing - shoppers was just the easiest.  But good to know I won't have to spend $ to get a PCR test to come home 🙂 

Just bear in mind that the following information must have been included in your positive molecular test result. If not, you may be out of luck using previous COVID as a means of bypassing another test.

Providing proof of your result

When you arrive at the border, you must present an accepted negative molecular test result (paper or electronic proof) or proof of a previous positive molecular test result taken between 15 and 180 days (starting January 15, 2022, between 11 and 180 days ago) that includes:

• 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 taken
• the type of test taken
• the test result

 

 

[JBCall]

Where would be the best place to get a PCR test in AB if you recently tested positive with an antigen test? 

 

Do you need to wait 10 days after a positive RAT before getting a travel PCR test?

[CKCruising]

1 hour ago, JBCall said:

Where would be the best place to get a PCR test in AB if you recently tested positive with an antigen test? 

 

Do you need to wait 10 days after a positive RAT before getting a travel PCR test?

It looks like PCR testing is restricted in AB like ON.  In that case, I would order the Switch PCR test (with express shipping) and do it as soon as possible.

"If you require COVID-19 testing outside of the public testing program, a variety of fee-for-service options are available through the private sector, including DynaLIFE Medical Labs, Numi Health, Equity Health Services and some pharmacies." - These may be options as well

Edited February 1, 2022 by CKCruising

[NaiNoNo]

9 hours ago, JBCall said:

Where would be the best place to get a PCR test in AB if you recently tested positive with an antigen test? 

 

Do you need to wait 10 days after a positive RAT before getting a travel PCR test?

I was able to get one through public health and my husband paid for his PCR test at a private clinic.  He waited 14 days after his positive RAT and was symptom free.

[NaiNoNo]

16 hours ago, Fouremco said:

Just bear in mind that the following information must have been included in your positive molecular test result. If not, you may be out of luck using previous COVID as a means of bypassing another test.

Providing proof of your result

When you arrive at the border, you must present an accepted negative molecular test result (paper or electronic proof) or proof of a previous positive molecular test result taken between 15 and 180 days (starting January 15, 2022, between 11 and 180 days ago) that includes:

• 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 taken
• the type of test taken
• the test result

 

 

Luckily both of our tests have all this info 🙂

[Fouremco]

1 hour ago, NaiNoNo said:

Luckily both of our tests have all this info 🙂

Great. So many public health testing results don't, so you are definitely lucky!

[CCBB]

Regarding the testing requirements to enter the USA and to board the cruise ship for someone who has recovered from Covid, I read that:

 

From the Princess web site: Exceptions may apply for asymptomatic guests that have tested positive for COVID-19 in the 90 days prior to embarkation, but not less than 10 days prior to embarkation, and are fully recovered. Guests will need to provide a letter of recovery from their doctor and, laboratory test results that were taken at least 10 or more days prior to embarkation, and not older than 90 days.

 

From the CDC web site: If you recently recovered from COVID-19, you may instead travel with documentation of recovery from COVID-19 (i.e., your positive COVID-19 viral test result on a sample taken no more than 90 days before the flight’s departure from a foreign country and a letter from a licensed healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you were cleared to travel).

 

Has anyone tried the above and can share if they worked or not? Or should we get an antigen test anyway? If so, is there any chance that the antigen test could come out positive due to the previous Covid episode? (Perhaps that was the reason the above exceptions were put in place?)

[CCBB]

13 hours ago, JBCall said:

Where would be the best place to get a PCR test in AB if you recently tested positive with an antigen test? 

 

Do you need to wait 10 days after a positive RAT before getting a travel PCR test?

We live in Calgary and used a lab https://equityhealthservices.com/ for PCR test for our daughter and her boyfriend after they tested positive with the self test antigen test kit. Their PCR test both come back positive and they have proper documentation for it. Cost was $85+GST each. 

[JBCall]

Thank you all so much.  We are sitting at about 120 days out and had been quite careful. 

 

It is good to know we have options.