Canada Forces Many Travelers to Cancel
If you have ever spent a winter in Canada you would easily understand why so many Canadians make like snowbirds and try to escape south. Many Canadians spend anywhere from 2-10 weeks in warm, sunny places where they can get away from the harsh winters up North. Costa Rica is one of their top choices to bask in the sun, and this year with many Canadians enjoying more flexibility from their employers, having the ability to work remotely, Costa Rica was anticipating a large amount of Canadians headed this way.
Unfortunately, Covid has reared its ugly head again. As Covid cases in Canada continue to rise, the government is looking to curtail their citizens from all non-essential travel. Many Canadians considering traveling to Costa Rica were already pretty discouraged with the restriction of having to face a 14-day quarantine when they returned, but now the government is also forcing citizens to be tested for Covid before returning.
Air passengers entering Canada will soon need to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test before arriving in the country, the federal government announced this week. Under the new protocol, travelers must receive a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test within a 72-hour period before boarding a plane. Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc said he expects the new rule will be in force within a week. The measure does not replace the federal government’s mandatory 14-day quarantine period, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair warned. “This is not an alternative to quarantine. It’s an additional layer,” Blair said during a public health briefing. He said Ottawa is discussing implementing more testing protocols at land points of entry with a number of provincial health authorities, but added that effort involves “issues of some complexity” the government is still working through.
The restrictions have led many Canadians to refrain from or cancel their travel plans to Costa Rica. The low number of travelers has then lead to many Canadian flights and routes being canceled, further complicating things for travelers. The reality is by the time that these restrictions are lifted winter will probably pass and leave Canadians to just wait all the way till the next season to get that sunshine in Costa Rica.
