BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - Starting next Monday, Americans will be allowed to enter Canada, but there's still many hurdles for travelers to overcome.
One of the major issues is testing. Canada is requiring all travelers age 5 and older to provide a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of arrival to the border.
Congressman Brian Higgins on Monday expressed his frustration over the testing policy due to a lack of guidance from the United States.
"I can't tell you anything and that's the problem," Higgins said. "(The White House) has an obligation to provide guidance to Americans who are now able to travel into Canada for the first time in 17 months. The last thing we need is a logistical disaster. This has to be coordinated in a way and communicated to people who will be affected the most, and that's my constituents."
He also wants to know who needs to pay for a test and if people will be reimbursed by the government if they get a test.
Brighton Eggert Pharmacy in Amherst is one of several locations that offer the necessary COVID-19 tests to gain entry into Canada. Owner and Pharmacist Don Arthur told WBEN he recommends an NAAT test, which is a molecular test that amplifies a sample and gives better accuracy on the test result.
"We offer that test at $125 and we can provide results within one-to-two hours," Arthur said. "We'll email it to them in a PDF form that's acceptable by the Canadian government. We've been doing this test for several months for the essential travelers, so it's nothing new to us."
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Arthur said the technology has changed significantly over the last year regarding testing. A year ago, a COVID-19 PCR test took days to find a result. Now, it takes only a couple hours, meaning you can get your test and head to Canada the same day.
As for who pays for the test? The details on that remain unclear. Arthur said his understanding was those without insurance can get a COVID-19 test and receive a reimbursement if they are symptomatic with the virus or have recently come into close contact. Insurance companies would vary depending on their policy.
Once you prove your initial negative test, you'll need to take another test at the border. Canada said there is no fee for the arrival test.