Planning to travel for March break? Pack your patience, experts say

More Islanders might be planning to travel this March break as COVID-19 restrictions begin to lift on P.E.I. and abroad — and for many, it'll be their first trip in two years. 

But Steve Olmstead, the director of the Canadian Automobile Association Atlantic, says travel won't be quite as easy as it was pre-pandemic.

"A lot has changed, hasn't it? It certainly feels that way. There's new information all the time it seems," Olmstead told CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin.

"So it's really important just to try and get your head around all these things and figure out how they impact you and your travel plans.… The bottom line is plan ahead as best you can at this stage, and not just for what's the best flight or what flight connection you need, but kind of some of those what ifs and what are my requirements."

Those headed to the U.S. are required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test result completed one day before entry, regardless of vaccination status. For Caribbean nations like the Bahamas and Dominican Republic, a negative test result needs to be done three days before entry. 

In Prince Edward Island, there is no isolation requirement for vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers coming into the province, but they must test for COVID-19 on entry as well as on days 2 and 4 after entry.

Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison said the province is planning for additional testing for school-aged children in the coming weeks as Islanders are expected to travel over the break.

"We are going to be encouraging people to do some testing over the March break for students, and we'll be sending  some information out through the schools next week," she said.

"But also testing that first week back when we get back, into the end of March when they return to school."

Olmstead said many travel insurance policies and travel health insurance plans will now cover COVID-specific travel interruptions.

"A big change occurred recently when government said, 'Yes, go travel, just be careful,'" he said.

"Now that conditions have changed and the advisories have changed, more of the health policy is going to apply to you. And as we all know, when you travel things happen. You might need some medical attention, you might need a hospital stay, you might need to get back to Canada — so travel health insurance covers all of these things and more."

Depending on the policy and the destination, travellers might also be covered for additional expenses, an extended stay, or transportation should they contract COVID-19 while travelling.

"So these are the types of things a policy will cover but again, you want to work with a professional to walk you through those details, just helps you with your planning and kind of address the what if."