Having trouble finding a COVID rapid test for the border? Here are some options in Whatcom

While it still won’t be as simple as before the pandemic, making plans to cross the border should be a little easier and less expensive starting Monday, Feb. 28.

Earlier this month the Canadian government announced that it will allow a rapid antigen test to show that a traveler doesn’t have COVID-19 before entering the country. This includes Canadians who are returning home, who may find the quicker, less expensive tests more amenable for short cross-border trips into Whatcom County. Traffic volumes have been sluggish throughout 2022 at the Lynden, Sumas and two Blaine border crossings, according to data from Cascadia Gateway Data website. At all four crossings, the average is under 5,000 passenger vehicles a day going both north and south in January, about half as many as in December when non-essential travel restrictions were first lifted by Canada.

Since at-home antigen tests won’t be accepted to cross the border, travelers have to figure out where to get the test taken. That can be a bit of a puzzle, but there are places around Whatcom County gearing up to offer the rapid antigen tests for travelers. They say those tests are currently easier to find than the PCR molecular test, which is the current option for prearrival testing.