Health & Wellness

Previously Recovered and Travelling

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  • Jan 17th, 2022 3:02 pm
Sr. Member
Feb 28, 2009
921 posts
541 upvotes
Ottawa

Previously Recovered and Travelling

Hello

From what I understand if someone had COVID and has recovered, they may test positive on a PCR Up to 90 days after they were sick.

If these people are travelling to the states by land and on the way back, they get a PCR test in the states, the test will show positive. How do these people prove that they had COVID previously and the test is detecting a prior infection? Are they stuck and should not travel at all?
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Jan 9, 2011
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Vancouver
WGretzky wrote: Hello

From what I understand if someone had COVID and has recovered, they may test positive on a PCR Up to 90 days after they were sick.

If these people are travelling to the states by land and on the way back, they get a PCR test in the states, the test will show positive. How do these people prove that they had COVID previously and the test is detecting a prior infection? Are they stuck and should not travel at all?
You need to produce proof of a previous positive test result that is between 11 and 180 days old. If you didn't previously get a PCR test that shows this, get one in the USA now. If negative, return home within 72 hours, and if positive, wait 11 days before returning home.
Sr. Member
Feb 28, 2009
921 posts
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Ottawa
Kiraly wrote: You need to produce proof of a previous positive test result that is between 11 and 180 days old. If you didn't previously get a PCR test that shows this, get one in the USA now. If negative, return home within 72 hours, and if positive, wait 11 days before returning home.
So if someone is sick now, and planning on travelling in March, they would be best to go to a travel clinic to get a PCR test done once isolation period is over that shows a positive test result. Then that would be acceptable in March when returning back to Canada? No need to retest in the states to get the 72 hour result on way back?
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Jan 9, 2011
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WGretzky wrote: So if someone is sick now, and planning on travelling in March, they would be best to go to a travel clinic to get a PCR test done once isolation period is over that shows a positive test result. Then that would be acceptable in March when returning back to Canada? No need to retest in the states to get the 72 hour result on way back?
Correct. I'm actually hoping I get COVID now, it's a 6-month free pass to leave Canada and return home with no further testing requirement. Being triple vaxxed I am not worried about getting sick. @WGretzky I see you started an identical thread in Travel, you should delete that thread.
Sr. Member
Feb 28, 2009
921 posts
541 upvotes
Ottawa
Kiraly wrote: Correct. I'm actually hoping I get COVID now, it's a 6-month free pass to leave Canada and return home with no further testing requirement. Being triple vaxxed I am not worried about getting sick. @WGretzky I see you started an identical thread in Travel, you should delete that thread.
Yes this would be much easier! Although I suspect the requirement for PCR test to enter Canada will be eliminated all together within the next month or 2.
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WGretzky wrote: Yes this would be much easier! Although I suspect the requirement for PCR test to enter Canada will be eliminated all together within the next month or 2.
We all thought the same thing six months ago, that the molecular test requirement would be waived for those of us fully vaccinated. That didn't happen.
Sr. Member
Feb 28, 2009
921 posts
541 upvotes
Ottawa
Kiraly wrote: We all thought the same thing six months ago, that the molecular test requirement would be waived for those of us fully vaccinated. That didn't happen.
True. But I believe Omicron is a game changer now given the transmissibility and the sheer number of people that have immunity now either through vaccines or infection. Also add in that governments are winding down PCR testing for general public…
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Kiraly wrote: Correct. I'm actually hoping I get COVID now, it's a 6-month free pass to leave Canada and return home with no further testing requirement.
Speak of the devil. I started to feel sick three days ago, took rapid test the next day and was negative. Took another today, positive. Now to figure out how to get molecular test. I'm not supposed to go out for several days now. I have travel booked from July 16-23, that means I'll need a need a positive molecular test taken after January 25th for it to qualify. I wonder if I can still test postive by then, that's 10 days away from now.
Sr. Member
Feb 28, 2009
921 posts
541 upvotes
Ottawa
Kiraly wrote: Speak of the devil. I started to feel sick three days ago, took rapid test the next day and was negative. Took another today, positive. Now to figure out how to get molecular test. I'm not supposed to go out for several days now. I have travel booked from July 16-23, that means I'll need a need a positive molecular test taken after January 25th for it to qualify. I wonder if I can still test postive by then, that's 10 days away from now.
You successfully tempted fate there

Our toddler woke up with a fever this morning tested positive today and wife and I feeling like crap - we’ll test ourselves tomorrow. I’m sure we have it.

I will go to a clinic after our isolation is up and pay for a PCR. We were going panning a road trip to Florida in March and were probably going to cancel but now if we all test positive may as well go ahead with the trip, especially if we don’t have the risk of needing to quarantine for 11 days across the border!
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Sep 16, 2013
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WGretzky wrote: From what I understand if someone had COVID and has recovered, they may test positive on a PCR Up to 90 days after they were sick.
I think this only happens to immunocompromized people. More than two weeks - very rare.
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Feb 29, 2008
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WGretzky wrote: You successfully tempted fate there

Our toddler woke up with a fever this morning tested positive today and wife and I feeling like crap - we’ll test ourselves tomorrow. I’m sure we have it.

I will go to a clinic after our isolation is up and pay for a PCR. We were going panning a road trip to Florida in March and were probably going to cancel but now if we all test positive may as well go ahead with the trip, especially if we don’t have the risk of needing to quarantine for 11 days across the border!
You may test negative by the time isolation is up.

Most people clear their PCR test by 21 days so don't wait to long

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