Travelling Pilot Plan - only 2 day Quarantine

[TammyLynn33]

Thank you. I felt totally attacked when I said I was at my “breaking point “and needed away. Was told my breaking point being a vacation was a first world problem etc etc. ( why be like this with a person who just said they are at their breaking point ? )
No one knows what an individual or family is going through . Judging and shaming won’t help anyone .
It’s not just vacation shaming , it’s schooling it’s those eating out , even Halloween. I’ve told people on we are not participating this year and it was “ well my kids are they won’t forgive me / they need to go “ etc I feel shamed because we aren’t participating .
Everyone is tired , at different places , has different needs. The only thing that can help
All of us get through this is kindness.
Stepping off my soapbox from my breaking point .






QUOTE="Makmak, post: 62418165, member: 665167"]
I believe travel shaming has no place on what is literally a travel forum. For how long shall we sit home and stare at the walls? Until a vaccine? Oxford and the US CDC have two of the “leading” vaccines in development and both have said we can “hope for” a 50% effectiveness rating. The vaccine is being developed from SARS vaccine materials (there was not ever success with a SARS vaccine btw). This is here to stay. Most of what we see is “safety theatre” as it has been referred to on this forum in multiple threads. We can refer to mask materials testing to see this. Please don’t try to make people feel bad for finding some joy during this stressful time. The world is in a virus pandemic but we also have unprecedented social
problems from isolation and restriction including domestic violence, child abuse, and mental health crises. Many hospitals have no room for more psychiatric patients and our domestic violence shelters are as full as the lines at food banks and homeless shelters. If someone wants to take a trip:, I say “Take that trip.”
Edited: wanted to add that relapse into addiction is also occurring at alarming rates.
[/QUOTE]

 

[damo]

As much as I would love to go on vacation, I know I would be so paranoid at every move that it would end up being more stressful than relaxing. I don't think a 2 day quarantine will encourage me to travel.

The area where our house is in South Carolina has half the population of where we live in Ontario but has had over 6000 cases of covid and 90 deaths. Where we live in Ontario has had 700 cases and 4 deaths. Makes it really hard for me to feel comfortable down there. I am really longing to get back there, though.

 

[Makmak]

“Thank you. I felt totally attacked when I said I was at my “breaking point “and needed away. Was told my breaking point being a vacation was a first world problem etc etc. ( why be like this with a person who just said they are at their breaking point ? )
No one knows what an individual or family is going through . Judging and shaming won’t help anyone .
It’s not just vacation shaming , it’s schooling it’s those eating out , even Halloween. I’ve told people on we are not participating this year and it was “ well my kids are they won’t forgive me / they need to go “ etc I feel shamed because we aren’t participating .
Everyone is tired , at different places , has different needs. The only thing that can help
All of us get through this is kindness.
Stepping off my soapbox from my breaking point
“
If travel helps you deal with stress, then you need to travel. Even planning travel helps me feel better. Everyone needs to do whatever helps them get through this and unfortunately, as you’ve mentioned, we can’t count on our neighbors to be supportive always and also everyone has very different ideas of “what is right”. During the most restrictive time here there were people speaking very ill of a man that went out to buy paint at a hardware store. They were rolling eyes saying “that’s not essential”. In reality the man was struggling with addiction recovery and was beside himself due to job loss and isolation (he lived alone) and so he decided to paint his house to avoid drinking again. So you see, for him, that paint was essential. We never know what anyone else is going through and I hope you plan your trip if it brightens your day. We have been to Disney 6 times since July and have seen people from Scotland, Germany, and many other countries that were actually banning travel at various time so I guess where there’s a will there’s a way! Each said they’d have gone mad at home.
Edited bc it was creating a long quote for some reason

 

[Jrb1979]

Thank you. I felt totally attacked when I said I was at my “breaking point “and needed away. Was told my breaking point being a vacation was a first world problem etc etc. ( why be like this with a person who just said they are at their breaking point ? )
No one knows what an individual or family is going through . Judging and shaming won’t help anyone .
It’s not just vacation shaming , it’s schooling it’s those eating out , even Halloween. I’ve told people on we are not participating this year and it was “ well my kids are they won’t forgive me / they need to go “ etc I feel shamed because we aren’t participating .
Everyone is tired , at different places , has different needs. The only thing that can help
All of us get through this is kindness.
Stepping off my soapbox from my breaking point .






QUOTE="Makmak, post: 62418165, member: 665167"]
I believe travel shaming has no place on what is literally a travel forum. For how long shall we sit home and stare at the walls? Until a vaccine? Oxford and the US CDC have two of the “leading” vaccines in development and both have said we can “hope for” a 50% effectiveness rating. The vaccine is being developed from SARS vaccine materials (there was not ever success with a SARS vaccine btw). This is here to stay. Most of what we see is “safety theatre” as it has been referred to on this forum in multiple threads. We can refer to mask materials testing to see this. Please don’t try to make people feel bad for finding some joy during this stressful time. The world is in a virus pandemic but we also have unprecedented social
problems from isolation and restriction including domestic violence, child abuse, and mental health crises. Many hospitals have no room for more psychiatric patients and our domestic violence shelters are as full as the lines at food banks and homeless shelters. If someone wants to take a trip:, I say “Take that trip.”
Edited: wanted to add that relapse into addiction is also occurring at alarming rates.

[/QUOTE]
I am fine with anyone that wants to travel. My issue is with those that do travel and don't quarantine when they come back. I would love to take a trip by job won't let me come back without a 2 week quarantine. Instead I have traveled inside the province this year. Hopefully next year things will be better and I can get to do my amusement park road trip as well as Universal.

 

[Disney Addicted]

The pilot program is no safer than what currently exists. Going by months of news articles since March, the majority of people coming back from other countries don't develop symptoms of Covid-19 in the first day or two. Which is why the 14-day quarantine was set up.

But there's no way the government can keep everything shut down for the next 2-3 years. The economy has to re-open. Everyone has to come up with ways to live with it and the onus of "keeping safe/healthy" is going to be placed on the individual more-and-more. I believe that is why the government has set up this pilot program. Which is why the government has put the stipulation of getting re-tested for Covid on day 6 or 7. Not everyone will actually get Covid-19 and they can't continue to force people to stay home for 14 days. So their solution is to try and catch those who do develop Covid-19 (hopefully in the 1st week) by having this second testing.

Personally I would rather the borders stay closed a few months more. Maybe open borders to travel between countries that are low in cases/similiar to the number of cases we have as some other countries are doing. But travelling to the States or Europe right now? My family won't be. Everyone has to evulate what is important for them. I'm not saying travelling is not important. Just for our family we don't have the money to travel every year anyways so it won't be hard for us to stay home. We shall see what happens when Spring comes around again.

 

[CanucksRock]

The only thing that sucks about this...while I went thru Calgary on my trip to Orlando in September, I’m going via Toronto in November So I can’t take advantage. For me, the 14 day quarantine last time was really no big deal. Went by quick. (I work from home)

 

[Carolynleanne]

The only thing that sucks about this...while I went thru Calgary on my trip to Orlando in September, I’m going via Toronto in November So I can’t take advantage. For me, the 14 day quarantine last time was really no big deal. Went by quick. (I work from home)

and you have to stay in Calgary for two days anyways, so it really doesn't work for anyone who doesn't live there

 

[CanucksRock]

and you have to stay in Calgary for two days anyways, so it really doesn't work for anyone who doesn't live there

Just says you have to stay in Alberta actually...

 

[Carolynleanne]

Just says you have to stay in Alberta actually...

Sorry, that's what I meant to say. Yes

 

[Pumpkin1172]

At some point, we will NEED to move forward. The virus is here. It is NOT going anywhere. People are " counting " on a vaccine. What is your plan B if there is no effective vaccine? Right now the medical community doesn't even know how long a person who has actually had covid is immune for. Is it 4 months, 6 months, a year or longer? How do you know that a vaccine is going to be that effective. Half the time they are guessing at the seasonal flu vaccine...and some years it is not effective as they picked the wrong strain or it mutated again. The medical community doesn't even know if is like the flu which mutates every year or not. There are soooooooooooooooo many unknowns about the virus.

I will do what I can to keep myself, family and those around me safe. I wear a mask, wash my hand, use hand sanitizer at every turn. But...I have been EXPECTED to show up for work every day through this whole thing started, I am out in public and dealing with the public every single day. Do you know how many people used to stay home " sick " from work but would end up going out shopping? MANY!!!!!!!! I know my risks. Why would going to an all inclusive resort where all the same protocols are being practiced here make my risk any different?

It's a good thing I do not work at our local walfart that had 29+ employees test positive for covid. How do YOU know that the store your entering is practicing the BEST safety protocols given to everyone? How do you know that employee Jughead is not feeling quite right, but still goes into work anyways? The risk is there as soon as you step outside of your door.

All you can do is what we have been told. If your sick...stay home. If you are out in public, wear a mask and wash your hands wash your hands, wash your hands.

 

[bankr63]

Wow. I didn't mean to start a flame ware there. Personally, I don't want to travel shame anyone; travel is still possible to do quite safely with a bit of adaptation.

Really, I was just pointing out that non-essential travel outside of Canada is still against the rules. The new rules make essential international travel easier for those who must travel. To @pigletto's point, no, I do not think that this makes non-essential travel any more likely - the restrictions on that will be lifted when it is deemed to be safe to travel anywhere. I expect it will be lifted for other countries much quicker than for the USA.

For those who need a vacation because of stress, I say take one. But that vacation does not have to include traveling to destinations in hot spot areas. Get out and enjoy a vacation in your own region so that you aren't (potentially) carrying infections to other areas, or bringing infection home.

To @Pumpkin1172 It DOES make a difference where you go. If the zone you are traveling to has an infection rate 4* the rate (per 100k population) in your own zone, then you are greatly increasing your risk of contact, and of returning home with COVID. The whole idea here is to get LOCAL economies working again with restricted travel. You don't need to go to a far off destination to help their tourism industry; you need to stay close to home and figure out how to help your local businesses survive without all of the people who aren't be traveling to use their services.

We're all in this together, let's help each other out!

 

[CanucksRock]

Oddly - I felt safer going to Disneyworld, than my local Walmart At least at Disneyworld you get your temperature checked (I my temp checked 14 times in 7 days!) and everyone has to wear a mask PROPERLY. Used Hand Sanitizer every ride; the Disney provided and my own that I had on hand for when it was easier to use that. Kept physically distanced from people when in lines. ...and came home Covid Free.

 

[Aladora]

I think most of you here should stop and think things through. The federal government has not raised the restrictions from 'essential travel only'. Yes, this makes it easier for essential travelers to return to Canada, but it does not open the restrictions on non-essential travel. Traveling outside of your region, now more than ever, is putting yourselves and others at risk. COVID-19 is surging here in Canada and even more so in the US. Unless you have to travel stay home, stay safe.

We had a booking at a resort in Quebec two weekends from now about 90 minutes from home (made back when things were looking much brighter). We just had to cancel because we live in a red zone in Ontario and would be traveling through red zones in QC to get there (Laurentides is currently Orange). The Surete have roadblocks setup between regions checking for essential travel only, especially out of the red zones. We weren't going to risk exposing ourselves and others just for the sake of a bit of R&R.

No one said they were not thinking things through, most of us are just seeing the possible airport testing as a tentative step towards fewer travel restrictions. Everyone knows that Covid is here to stay but at some point we will have to start lifting restrictions and a rapid test is, imo, the key. A vaccine is going to be part of the solution but not the only part.

Stats are interesting, at least to me. In BC our positive numbers are increasing to a higher amount than in March through May but the positivity rate (# of positives divided by the number of tests) is going down. In the early days of the pandemic the positivity rate was as high as 7% but right now it is less than 2% (less than 1% in early October in fact) so while we are recording more cases, fewer people who are being tested are positive. The most likely reason for this is that we are testing more people per day than we were in, say, April. Of course, more people tested will result in more confirmed cases but to me, the positivity rate is the one that I find more interesting.

For us, we decided to book a winter holiday at Whistler/Blackcomb resort for mid-December, after DS is out for winter break but before public schools are. We are local to BC so we will pack everything we need, get in our car, drive to the ferry, drive to Whistler, and stay in a condo unit with a full kitchen. We have to make a reservation on the ski hills for whatever days we want to ski, W/B is restricting the number of people on the lifts/hills.

While I am cautiously optimistic about the rapid airport testing, I am certainly not running out to book a vacation outside of Canada just yet...but it is nice to have a small glimmer of hope for one in the not-too-distant future! (And by that I mean sometime in the next 12 months!)

 

[Pumpkin1172]

To @Pumpkin1172 It DOES make a difference where you go. If the zone you are traveling to has an infection rate 4* the rate (per 100k population) in your own zone, then you are greatly increasing your risk of contact, and of returning home with COVID. The whole idea here is to get LOCAL economies working again with restricted travel. You don't need to go to a far off destination to help their tourism industry; you need to stay close to home and figure out how to help your local businesses survive without all of the people who aren't be traveling to use their services.

We actually have travelled around Alberta, Saskatchewan and BC this past summer. I have spent a good chunck of my budget dollars travelling here in Canada and hopefully if the East will lift their travel bubble, we will be travelling East for a family wedding next year. We support small local business when ever we can. I go to our local farmers market and get what produce I can ( which is actually 2x the price at the grocery stores ), and we go to a local butcher shop who sources all their products locally. Do you do that? Or do you just go to your grocery store to get everything in one stop?

If we order anything online, it is NOT from amazon, and we will try our darndest to find a canadian supplier. I have and will continue to support my local and Canadian economy where I can. Do you shop at Home Depot or do you go to Home Hardware? We shop at Home Hardware because they stock canadian products. When I go look for items, I check where they were made...if it was made in Canada...it will go into my shopping cart.

IF we can find a destination where we feel it is safe for us to travel to, you can bet we will go. Only 3% of cases of covid have come from travelling. I have a better chance of catching it from some of my young co-workers who go out drinking, go to house parties with large groups of friends and do not keep their social circles small.

Our winters are very long and cold in northern Alberta. We already have snow, have had snow for 2 weeks already. I will not see my grass until the end of April. Typically we have 5- 6 weeks of -30 or colder then -20 for the rest of winter. My mental health is 10000% better when I am able to get away from the long winters or even at least be able to look forward to a trip somewhere warm.
If I can safely go somewhere for a break to get away.... we will be going.

 

[tkouri]

I thought sometimes you may not have symptoms until 2 days from when you got COVID. Does a test show positive right away if you caught it that day at the airport your testing at?

 

[Pumpkin1172]

I thought sometimes you may not have symptoms until 2 days from when you got COVID. Does a test show positive right away if you caught it that day at the airport your testing at?

More details about it will come out as the date nears.
Initially you get a test at the airport, go back to isolate ( somewhere in Alberta ) until you get your test results. Because it is an independent lad ( to not tie up the provincial run labs ) once you get a negative test result, you can resume your life IF you follow the following guidelines
1- do a daily check in with ANY symptoms
2- wear a mask when out in public
3- have another test done again in 6-7 days
4- continue to wear a mask for the remainder of the 7 days along with daily check ins and no symptoms.

Just because someone chooses to travel doesn't mean they will get sick with the virus. We now live in a society that travels frequently either in our own country or to see other countries. If we do it responsibly, there are no reasons why we shouldn't be able to travel...even across Canada

 

[pigletto]

Really, I was just pointing out that non-essential travel outside of Canada is still against the rules. The new rules make essential international travel easier for those who must travel. To @pigletto's point, no, I do not think that this makes non-essential travel any more likely - the restrictions on that will be lifted when it is deemed to be safe to travel anywhere. I expect it will be lifted for other countries much quicker than for the USA.

For those who need a vacation because of stress, I say take one. But that vacation does not have to include traveling to destinations in hot spot areas. Get out and enjoy a vacation in your own region so that you aren't (potentially) carrying infections to other areas, or bringing infection home.

To @Pumpkin1172 It DOES make a difference where you go. If the zone you are traveling to has an infection rate 4* the rate (per 100k population) in your own zone, then you are greatly increasing your risk of contact, and of returning home with COVID. The whole idea here is to get LOCAL economies working again with restricted travel. You don't need to go to a far off destination to help their tourism industry; you need to stay close to home and figure out how to help your local businesses survive without all of the people who aren't be traveling to use their services.

We're all in this together, let's help each other out!

I hope you took my post in the spirit that it was intended which was just discussion . I have no travel plans for the foreseeable future though if it becomes allowed again I would plan something ...though not to the States. I just like a good discussion . And I sure would like to see a light at the end of this seemingly never ending tunnel. Our plan is camping next summer, but man would I love to be able to plan a warm weather destination again.

 

[bankr63]

Boy folks are sensitive. @pigletto I did not mean to imply you planned any travel. You indicated in your previous post that the new protocol might be a move toward leisure travel, my counter point is simply that I don't think that is true. These measures are not intended to be a move toward leisure travel, they are more a move toward keeping our economic recovery going by making essential (often commercial related) travel a bit easier.

@Pumpkin1172 yes, I buy the vast majority of my produce in the summer from the farm just a couple of kilometers away from my home. Once they close, I generally purchase from a green grocer that is locally owned and operated (Farm Boy - headquarters is in the same building as my gym that I can no longer go to). My last choice is for produce is Loblaw, and yes, we try to avoid products that are being shipped long distances. Asparagus is great in the spring when it was cut that morning just down the road. Not so much when it was cut on a farm in Peru a few days ago and jetted to our tables. It has a season and we only eat in season. Same with corn on the cob and many other items.
Yes, I generally frequent the Home Hardware a couple of blocks away from my home rather than driving over to Home Despot. Not too happy about the latest minimum order of $50 online though I must say, but I still shop there. Just fill my online cart with stuff I don't need that I will later return.
Yes, I live in Ottawa, the second coldest capital city in the world, where the snowbanks in March generally reach the 2nd floor of my house, and the melt doesn't finish until May. Minus 45 mornings are not uncommon here either.
If I need a break somewhere warm this winter, I will probably do a getaway to Niagara Falls. More likely with the continuing surge, we will just stay home and stay safe; maybe take a day off to binge something good on Prime or Disney+. Watch Blame it on Rio or something else with a tropical setting. I don't do this to protect myself (my wife is a school teacher, that boat has sailed), I do it to protect others from me.

 

[pigletto]

Boy folks are sensitive. @pigletto I did not mean to imply you planned any travel. You indicated in your previous post that the new protocol might be a move toward leisure travel, my counter point is simply that I don't think that is true. These measures are not intended to be a move toward leisure travel, they are more a move toward keeping our economic recovery going by making essential (often commercial related) travel a bit easier.

@Pumpkin1172 yes, I buy the vast majority of my produce in the summer from the farm just a couple of kilometers away from my home. Once they close, I generally purchase from a green grocer that is locally owned and operated (Farm Boy - headquarters is in the same building as my gym that I can no longer go to). My last choice is for produce is Loblaw, and yes, we try to avoid products that are being shipped long distances. Asparagus is great in the spring when it was cut that morning just down the road. Not so much when it was cut on a farm in Peru a few days ago and jetted to our tables. It has a season and we only eat in season. Same with corn on the cob and many other items.
Yes, I generally frequent the Home Hardware a couple of blocks away from my home rather than driving over to Home Despot. Not too happy about the latest minimum order of $50 online though I must say, but I still shop there. Just fill my online cart with stuff I don't need that I will later return.
Yes, I live in Ottawa, the second coldest capital city in the world, where the snowbanks in March generally reach the 2nd floor of my house, and the melt doesn't finish until May. Minus 45 mornings are not uncommon here either.
If I need a break somewhere warm this winter, I will probably do a getaway to Niagara Falls. More likely with the continuing surge, we will just stay home and stay safe; maybe take a day off to binge something good on Prime or Disney+. Watch Blame it on Rio or something else with a tropical setting. I don't do this to protect myself (my wife is a school teacher, that boat has sailed), I do it to protect others from me.

What I meant was that I hope you understood I was just having a discussion with you and that I had hoped you weren’t offended. I wasn’t being sensitive , I was trying to make sure we were ok and I hadn’t made you feel attacked .
I think I wasn’t very clear . I definitely should bow out of this thread for now .

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

@bankr63 You are the one who seems very sensitive to this thread. Everyone else is "discussing" the possibility of travel again sooner rather than later. Your opinion is just that.