Mexico and covid January 2022

Why travel now?

Well, here were are in a 5th wave of covid. The omicron variant is rampant, weather has been brutally cold, and Regina feels like it’s in lockdown. The government of Canada officially advises to avoid non-essential travel internationally. This was done due to the risk of the omicron variant entering the country. Well, that didn’t work, so I take that advisory with a grain of salt.

We are not in any lockdown though, unlike all the other provinces right now. There are some serious restrictions across Canada in place, but they are not stopping omicron anyway, so in Saskatchewan are trying the opposite. We are only watching hospitalization and intensive care numbers, and they are just starting to rise.

We have easy access to covid rapid tests, also unlike the rest of the country.

Flights everywhere have been cancelled or delayed often, due to passengers cancelling their trips or due to airline staff and their close contacts having to quarantine.

I have “cabin fever” and feel the need to get away for a while. I reason that I’m advised to travel, since it’s essential for my mental health. And … I won’t have to be tested for covid again for a while! Keep reading to see why!

Why Puerto Vallarta?

I’m not really a beach or resort or hot weather person, but I like them for a while. I wouldn’t normally book a trip based only on those things. But, desperate times call for desperate measures.

With the situation as it is, I decided to choose a destination where, if all airports in the world suddenly shut down, I could find my way back home by land. I don’t want to be over an ocean. I limited myself to North America.

Since it’s the dead of winter, I would like to go somewhere much warmer. And it would also be nice to have a direct flight, and one I could use some airline points on. (I’ve earned points on previous flights, purchases through shopping links, and credit cards.)

WestJet is starting up its (previously cancelled) direct flights to Cancun and Puerto Vallarta, and I can book them using points. For Cancun, I would stay in nearby Playa del Carmen, and have been there a couple of times, but I’ve never been to Puerto Vallarta. So, Puerto Vallarta it is!

I found a nice basic hotel that seems to be close to the action in downtown, with an ocean view balcony and a pool.

I had covid!

On Christmas Eve, I went to my friend’s garage where she had a family and friends gathering. About 20 people came and went, with a dozen or so of us getting into a crib tournament. Somebody also brought an early Christmas present – omicron.

A couple of days later, I had a call from one of the crib players asking how I was feeling. I felt like I was coming down with a cold, with a slightly sore throat. He felt feverish and achy, and had tested positive for covid with a rapid test. Another crib player had also tested positive with a rapid test. Eventually I heard that everyone who had set foot in the garage, for 20 minutes or a few hours like me, had covid.

It was obviously likely I also had covid, so I went to the drive-in pcr molecular test site. I was in line for a couple of hours in -40 weather. The tester advised me to self-isolate until I got my results. Not a problem, who would want to go outside in this weather anyway!

I tested positive for covid, and a further lab test confirmed that it was the highly transmissible omicron variant.

I slept a lot for my isolation period (5 days), but didn’t really feel better then. A rapid test showed a negative result 10 days later and that’s when I felt back to normal. I was triple vaxxed. And I was fortunate.

The other fortunate thing is that I should now have antibodies to protect me further, and I can use my positive test result for travelling.

How can I use my positive covid test for travelling?

The information I need to return to Canada is outlined in the official government source – https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada and right now it states

“When you arrive at the border, you must present an accepted negative molecular test result (paper or electronic proof) or proof of a previous positive molecular test result taken between 15 and 180 days (starting January 15, 2022, between 11 and 180 days ago) that includes:

• traveller name and date of birth
• name and civic address of the laboratory/clinic/facility that administered the test
• the date on which the test was taken
• the type of test taken
• the test result”

Well if that’s not confusing – I can show either a negative test (taken very recently) OR I can show a positive test (taken much earlier.) The older positive test can be shown because apparently I can still test positive with the sensitive PCR test for a few months! (I was later told by a public health nurse that this is not something they’re seeing with the omicron variant though.)

So I can just show that I had covid! Sounds simple, right? Well, maybe, maybe not.

Lab test proof

I first checked my provincial health records at https://www.ehealthsask.ca/MySaskHealthRecord/MySaskHealthRecord.

I found a section for Lab Test Results, where I could see everything! But….I could not see the name and address of the lab that tested my results. There is a View Documents tab that is clickable on each test results, but mine had nothing attached. Some records will have the documents attached so that’s where to check first.

I called the ehealth help number, they told me to call a Public Health number, that number just took me around in circles giving me other numbers, you know the drill. I finally talked to a public health worker who told me they didn’t have the records, and I should call my doctor’s office.

Your doctor’s office can find it

My doctor’s receptionist initially told me she had no such report for me. But, she is very efficient and she found the lab test online, with name and address of the lab. Happy day! I picked up a copy of the report, checked to make sure it had everything I needed, and ….. the report did not say it was a pcr test. I had a copy of the variant test, to confirm the omicron variant, not the original test to show that I had covid.

So, I called her again. She had the official copy of my tests sent to her from the provincial laboratory, and gave me a copy that now has everything I need. She told me that she was informed by the lab person that anyone who wants the lab report should ask for the report to be sent to their doctor, at the time they do the test.

Moral of the story – I am lucky that my doctor has a great receptionist, and I have a good relationship with her. Treat those support people well!

Now I have the test report that I need and I do not have to take an expensive pcr test before I come home. And I don’t have to worry about possibly testing positive even though I no longer have covid. I should also be exempt from the random testing that is done on arrival back in Canada.

What if you don’t have the lab report you need?

You must have the molecular pcr test done. If you have only done the rapid test, you have no lab test record and you can’t use your test to come back to Canada.

You would need to take a molecular test 72 hours before coming home. That test is expensive, and it might show positive if you are recently recovered from covid. In that case you would not be able to board a plane until 11 days after that test result.

What you could do is – go to a private company for a pcr test, before you leave Canada. If it comes back positive, you can use that report to enter Canada, 11 days later. If it comes back negative, then you will have to re-test at your destination before coming home, but you could be more hopeful that you would test negative then also.

What else do I need to do to travel?

Always check the government website for the country you are going to, as well as your own. To come back, you will need to have the ArriveCan app downloaded to your phone. You can fill in part of the requirements before you go. The rest you will need to fill in within 72 hours of coming home.

And for Mexico, I found their immigration form that you can fill in ahead of time here: https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/mexico, entry/exit requirements, which leads you to https://www.inm.gob.mx/fmme/publico/en/solicitud.html. There is also a covid health form that you can only fill in the day before your flight, here https://www.vuelaseguro.com/home. There is no need to take a covid test before you go.

And, double check everything a few days before your trip, as things can change. Like, maybe my flight will be cancelled next week, but maybe I will be in Puerto Vallarta!

What happened when I left Canada and arrived in Mexico (Jan 27/22)

Yes I got to Puerto Vallarta! The two Mexican forms I had filled out were not necessary. I suspect their website is not current, which is not helpful for travellers.

I was given two forms to fill in while on the flight. One was a customs form, and one the immigration form above. You need to keep the return part of the form. There was no covid health form. It’s easiest to just take a pen with you and fill in the forms on the plane.

Returning to Canada from Mexico (Feb 3/22)

I filled in the rest of the ArriveCan app information a couple of days before my flight, downloading a picture of my positive test lab report.

At the Puerto Vallarta airport, I was asked only for my pcr test result. I produced the positive test lab report. The check-in agent looked confused, and said he had to check it with someone else. He left and returned in just a moment to approve my document. I’m guessing a less complete lab report would have made it through as well, but why take the chance if you can get the complete report?

Arriving home in Regina, I was asked only for my vax certificate. And asked twice if I was travelling with someone else. I haven’t been asked that in a few years and I find it really annoying. What difference does that make? I will just assume that I don’t look old enough to be on my own!

Covid testing on return to Canada

I got at least two emails from WestJet advising me of steps to take when coming home.

One step mentioned was a suggestion to pre-register for a covid test on arrival. My advice is, don’t do it. Why?

1. Pre-registering is not mandatory.

2. Pre-registering for the test could possibly make you more likely to be chosen to do a test. It’s just easier, they have all your information.

3. The test requirement on arrival is ludicrous. Everyone has just gone through the testing process within the last day or two. What is the point of doing it again?

I was not asked to test on return (I should have been able to get out of it anyway with my positive lab test) and I didn’t notice anyone else on my flight being asked. But I don’t know if anyone was asked to test.

Hopefully the next time anyone travels, this requirement will be a thing of the past!