Lisa Zeltzer watched COVID-19 case numbers rise through the winter and worried the March trip sheB次元官网网址檇 booked to New York City B次元官网网址� a vacation her theatre-loving son has been waiting to take for two years B次元官网网址� would be cancelled.

As the Omicron wave began subsiding last month, and as the federal government loosened border measures for air travel in response, Zeltzer started to relax.

At least temporarily.

ItB次元官网网址檚 easier for Canadians to take vacations theyB次元官网网址檝e put off amid the pandemic now that rapid antigen tests can be used for re-entry instead of molecular versions and quarantine requirements have ended for children travelling with fully vaccinated parents.

But as jurisdictions drop COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine passports, the Zeltzers feel they have to be extra cautious before boarding their spring break flight.

B次元官网网址淚ronically, itB次元官网网址檚 actually making me more anxious,B次元官网网址� said Zeltzer, an occupational therapist in Toronto. B次元官网网址淲ith the changes and restrictions (lifting) here B次元官网网址� my biggest fear is that weB次元官网网址檙e going to get COVID before we leave.B次元官网网址�

Zeltzer and her fully-vaccinated family, which includes her husband, 10-year-old son and six-year-old daughter, take off for their Broadway-filled five-day trip to Manhattan the second week of March. Outside of local road trips, itB次元官网网址檒l be their first vacation since before the pandemic.

Even though New York state lifted mask mandates in most indoor settings weeks ago, she said they still plan to wear N95 masks around the big city to mitigate any chance of infection.

Testing positive for COVID-19 before flying home would mean having to extend the trip with a pricey isolation period.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 worried that because everyoneB次元官网网址檚 loosening up, our chances of getting it are higher and weB次元官网网址檙e going to get stuck in a very expensive city,B次元官网网址� Zeltzer said.

While many Canadians remain anxious about travelling, Georgetown, Ont., travel agent Lisa Gerlsbeck said she noticed a large uptick in families booking vacations once the government announced its loosened measures two weeks ago.

The changes B次元官网网址� which included removing recommendations that Canadians avoid travel for non-essential purposes and instead urge they B次元官网网址減ractise special precautionsB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� came into effect Monday.

B次元官网网址淭he phone calls started coming in (immediately after the announcement),B次元官网网址� said Gerlsbeck, who specializes in family vacations to Florida.

B次元官网网址淧eople want to travel now. They donB次元官网网址檛 want to wait until next March break.B次元官网网址�

Gerlsbeck said many of her clients are booking vacations for the first time since before the pandemic, including some whoB次元官网网址檝e postponed the same trips since March 2020. While she said some seem hesitant, many feel ready to get on a plane.

Gerlsbeck said those solidifying getaways have been put at ease by CanadaB次元官网网址檚 relaxed rule for a PCR test for re-entry B次元官网网址� noting it posed a significant financial hurdle for those travelling with large families. Rapid tests must be taken no earlier than one day before the scheduled flight and be administered by a professional, the new measures say.

Ending the quarantine rule for unvaccinated children re-entering the country has motivated others to travel.

Dianna McKechnie, a mother of two young kids and a teacher in Burlington, Ont., booked a trip to Arizona to see family over March break B次元官网网址渋mmediatelyB次元官网网址� after hearing of the loosened rules. Quarantining with the two-and four-year-olds after the vacation would be difficult for McKechnie and her husband, who both work outside the home.

Many of McKechnieB次元官网网址檚 relatives have yet to meet her children, as the family hasnB次元官网网址檛 crossed the border in two years.

She expressed doubts about the trip, especially considering ArizonaB次元官网网址檚 more relaxed attitude toward COVID-19, but said the family plans mostly to stay put at her uncleB次元官网网址檚 home and enjoy time together under the blazing desert sun.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檒l just conduct myself the way that IB次元官网网址檓 comfortable (with),B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 think thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of COVID there, and itB次元官网网址檚 very polarized in terms of people that are following restrictions or not.B次元官网网址�

Dr. Anna Banerji, an infectious disease pediatrician and a faculty member at the University of Toronto, said she understands the travel itch some Canadians are feeling.

But she warns that with many places limiting testing, itB次元官网网址檚 hard to know how much virus is circulating in Canada and elsewhere.

Banerji said a bump in international travel could lead to a bump in cases across Canada, especially as the timing of spring break trips coincides with other loosening measures. But vaccination coverage and immunity from recent Omicron infections should help lessen the severity of a potential approaching wave, she added.

B次元官网网址淭he government has said: B次元官网网址極K, weB次元官网网址檙e lifting restrictions,B次元官网网址� so you canB次元官网网址檛 say, B次元官网网址楧onB次元官网网址檛 travel.B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� And people probably have made up their minds, anyway, thinking that COVID is not a risk,B次元官网网址� Banerji said.

B次元官网网址淚t is maybe less of a risk to some degree, but itB次元官网网址檚 still a risk.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址� Melissa Couto Zuber, The Canadian Press