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Comment by pradn | Hacker News Reader

A rapid or PCR test from within the last calendar day is required to enter the USA. It's pretty hard to get that in many countries now b/c the winter/omicron surge. Plus, it's often expensive.

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USA only requires that for air passengers. Requiring overseas checkin agents to be disease doctors was okay, but asking CBP to verify paperwork and stop threats at the border was too much to ask.

Funny story I heard recently: Someone tested positive in Mexico but "had to" get home. Flew to Tijuana, walked across the border (no COVID test needed for land crossing), and caught a flight home out of San Diego.

It still makes sense to protect the airline employees, but I no longer view a pre-flight test as a reliable measure to stop COVID from arriving in the US.

What is point, we have millions of cases a day anyway.

The Tijuana-San Diego no test trick was possible up until November. Land borders didnt have any testing or inoculation requirements before then.

https://www.dhs.gov/news/2021/10/29/fact-sheet-guidance-trav...

Seems like the testing requirements are unchanged, but the vaccination requirements have changed.

That document applies to non-U.S. persons. I don't think they can deny entry to a US person at a land border.

I think the OPs frustration and what I've heard from Canadians is that the PCR is harder to come by and Canada doesn't accept rapid tests.

Edit: Also, the cost is much higher. In Mexico I paid $25 for an antigen test. The PCR test cost $100.

And the timing/availability. I almost got stuck somewhere because the login/pass I was supposed to use to get my result never worked and the place was basically shutdown on weekends.

And that was at a $$$ private clinic.

Note that the USA will also accept an observed lateral flow test, not just a PCR (for air travelers).

Source: That's how I re-entered the country recently.

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