Online form launched to request COVID recovery letters for travel

Nova Scotians who need a letter proving they've recovered from COVID-19 so they can travel can now request one through an online form.

However Nova Scotia Health cautions each country has its own entry requirements, so it can't guarantee the document will be accepted.

“But it is the only letter that we can provide,” says Nova Scotia Health in a news release. “Nova Scotians cannot request additional COVID-19 documentation from Public Health.”

Not all countries ask for recovery letters. Some will instead require those who have recently had COVID-19 to show the results of their positive test.

Most people who got a PCR test in our province would already have had that emailed to them, or if the results were after December 22, they could be found on the Nova Scotia Health portal for 90 days.

However, it's a little more complicated if you used a rapid test.

“You can get a recovery letter based on your self-reported information through the online request form,” Nova Scotia Health says, “however, no official public health record or proof can be provided for a rapid test result.”

Nova Scotia Health adds it isn't responsible for travel-related COVID-19 testing and documentation.

“Please remember that if a travel destination or someone else requires a negative test result, you can contact a private company for information about their testing services,” it says. “Nova Scotia Health does not provide testing for this purpose.”

Anyone who tested positive outside of Nova Scotia would need to contact public health in that jurisdiction for documentation.
 
“It is important to remember that once recovered from COVID-19, you can still test positive for up to three months (90 days),” Nova Scotia Health says. “We do not recommend testing within this time frame.”

Nova Scotians are still advised to avoid unnecessary travel.