Canada brings back random COVID-19 tests for international air travel & here’s what to know

Well folks, it was just over a month of near-total free travel, but that ends next week. On July 14, the federal government announced the return of random tests for COVID-19 at airports in Canada. However, it will only be in place at the four major ones. Here’s a quick rundown of the decision.

In June, the government paused the mandatory random COVID-19 tests program for those entering the country by air, but kept the program going for land borders. Now, it’s updating the rules so that both forms of travel will include the program.

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However, we have to say the return is a little more inconvenient. Rather than tests being conducted at airports, travellers will either have to visit an offsite partner location, or complete a ‘virtual appointment’ for a self-swab test.

Like we said at the beginning, the program is only returning to 4 major airports across the country, and those are Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Toronto. The program is set to kick off once more on July 19th, so things are moving quickly once more.

According to the press release, the main purposes of reintroducing random COVID-19 tests for those entering Canada is to “monitor and quickly respond to new variants of concern” and “track the importation of COVID-19 virus into Canada”.

Yup, that tracks, but honestly we’re confused as to why they got rid of it in the first place!