Canada's Hotel Quarantine For Travellers Has Been Explained & There's A 3rd COVID-19 Test

For travellers, Canada's hotel quarantine means they'll have to stay at a facility while waiting up to three days for their post-travel test results. Even after it comes back, there's a third one that they have to take.

After Justin Trudeau announced new travel rules, Dr. Theresa Tam and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair explained how this will all happen.

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What happens if the post-arrival test is negative?

If the test comes back negative, travellers are allowed to leave.

However, it's not enough for the result to be negative.

Dr. Tam said that people also need to have a good quarantine plan in place.

If that's the case, then the rest of the 14-day quarantine can happen at their home or wherever they've said they'll be staying in their plan.

Travellers will be swabbed again on day 10.

Canada's top doc said that's to see if someone is infected but has a longer incubation period.

It's another check-up before they come out of the mandated 14-day quarantine.

If the result is positive, then they have to start another isolation cycle.

What if it's positive?

If the result comes back positive, people will immediately have to quarantine in a designated government facility where they'll complete the two-week period.

That's also the case for anyone who would have difficulty quarantining. 

The third COVID-19 test on day 10 isn't just for those whose post-travel test came back negative.

People who are quarantining at a site designated by the federal government will have to be swabbed then as well.

Again, if that comes back positive, they'll have to start isolation all over again.

What's the cost of hotel quarantine?

Trudeau said that the estimated cost of someone staying at an approved hotel to wait for their results is more than $2,000.

He also noted it'll be at the person's own expense.

Minister Bill Blair said that payment is on the traveller because they made the "choice" to travel when the government has been telling people not to.

Both he and Dr. Tam explained that it's not just the cost of the hotel room.

It includes measures involving the health and safety of staff, infection prevention, security, testing and transportation.

The minister said the federal government doesn't believe "that Canadian taxpayers should be on the hook for paying any part" of it.

Dr. Tam also noted that this isn't like a "regular stay at a hotel."

Cover image used for illustrative purposes only.