As March break approaches, airport sees confusion about COVID testing rules for travel

The sudden change to COVID-era restrictions in jurisdictions around the globe is causing some confusion for travellers as more Islanders look to spend time outside P.E.I. 

The Charlottetown Airport said it's received a number of inquiries from Island residents trying to figure out the testing requirements for their holiday destinations ahead of March break.

The airport says it has seen a surge in activity as restrictions in P.E.I. and the rest of Atlantic Canada continue to ease, though it's still not as busy as it was before the pandemic.

"It is starting to pick up, and there's a lot of people coming out to get their testing done at the airports," said Charlottetown Airport CEO Doug Newson, who encourages people to book their testing in advance amid the increase in outbound travel.

Newson urged Islanders to check the exact COVID-19 requirements in the country they're travelling to before they embark on their journey, with testing rules for many countries changing on a "fairly regular basis."

"As an example, P.E.I. or Canada now to come home ... [you only need] a rapid test, where it used to be a PCR test," he said. 

"So it's always changing. That's probably the biggest thing that's confusing people. But the best thing to do is to check ahead and plan accordingly for your travels."

Newson said the rules vary from country to country. In the U.S., for example, travellers are still required to have a negative result on a rapid antigen test, which they have to take a day before they travel.

"You do need document proof that shows you had that negative test by an authorized medical company, like Canadian Health Labs at the airport. But there are other options," he said. 

"There are countries, you know, in the Caribbean that don't require any testing at all. There are still a few countries that require PCR testing. So I can't really answer the question for every country. So we really just advise people to check ahead."

Newson said it's up to people to decide whether they feel comfortable travelling right now.

Those who decide to travel still need to take proper COVID-19 precautions, or they risk being unable to return as planned if they catch the virus.