Travellers at Calgary airport have mixed reactions to return of random COVID-19 testing

Random COVID-19 testing for inbound air travellers has resumed at the Calgary International Airport as well as three other Canadian airports.

The move adds another bump to Kristie Barlow’s travel plans. 

"It adds a little more stress to the travel. Already having to travel internationally adds a lot of paperwork, especially when you’re travelling with kids and dependents," Barlow said. 

Random testing was paused just last month in order to help ease delays at airports. 

However, as of Tuesday, airports in Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal are resuming the measure. 

This time around, tests will be conducted offsite at select testing locations or through virtual appointments and self-swab tests.

The ArriveCAN app will make the random selections and travellers will receive an email within 15 minutes of filling out their customs declaration. 

"To have that looming is just a little more stress and makes me not want to travel as much," Barlow said. 

Isolation requirements are adding to the confusion. 

If a vaccinated person tests positive during a random test, the federal government requires them to isolate for 10 days, regardless of the province they live in. 

In Alberta, there are no quarantine requirements, just recommendations that people isolate for five days. 

The Public Health Agency of Canada says it will follow up with people who are selected. Travellers who don’t comply could be issued warnings or even fines. 

"Whether it’s random testing or testing in general, I’m completely against it. I feel it’s an infringement on our freedom," said international traveller Nicola Straub. 

About four or five per cent of travellers coming into Canada will be selected for random testing, according to Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos’ office.

"If there’s data that says that it’s actually keeping people safer, then go for it and if there’s no data, then it’s probably unnecessary," said Sean McGarry, who flew to Calgary from Chicago after visiting family. 

The federal government says the random testing will help them track and monitor COVID-19 trends and new variants entering the country. 

Infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch agrees that the data from these tests can be useful, but wants more transparency with how the data is being used.

"How are you using this information to create a safer environment for Canadians? What are the actionable outcomes of this data? And I think that would be really helpful to know," Bogoch told CTV’s Your Morning on Tuesday. 

He adds that there are other ways to collect similar data. 

"We can do wastewater sampling on airplanes, we can look at positive cases here in Canada and collect greater information on those who turned positive by doing surveys on them." 

Random testing only applies to vaccinated travellers.  

Those who are unvaccinated are still required to quarantine for 14 days, taking a COVID-19 test on days one and eight of their isolation.