Canada is beefing up its defenses against the Omicron version of COVID-19 by requiring additional tests and quarantines for all inbound air travellers except those from the United States as it may negatively hit Canadian Immigration.
It is also prohibiting foreign citizens from traveling to Canada who has visited three additional African nations, only days after prohibiting travel from seven other countries in an effort to contain the new version of the deadly coronavirus.
With the variant already present in Canada, federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos announced Tuesday that Ottawa will require most international air travellers, regardless of whether they have been immunized against COVID-19, to undergo government-provided molecular tests upon arrival at Canadian airports. According to Duclos, this is in addition to the existing need to get tested and receive a negative result within 72 hours before traveling to Canada.
Travelers who are planning to migrate to Canada and are fully vaccinated would then have to self-quarantine in Canada until they receive a negative result from their arrival test, he said, adding that the new testing techniques would be introduced at Canadian airports "in the coming days."
This new restriction does not apply to travellers from the United States, but according to Duclos, the government may amend that depending on how the issue with the Omicron variation plays out. The federal government is also exploring with provinces whether to impose more stringent testing procedures at Canada's land border.
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The federal government is also adding Nigeria, Malawi, and Egypt to the list of African nations where foreign visitors are not permitted. As well, the guidelines now state that any foreign individual who has visited such nations within the last two weeks is forbidden from entering Canada.
Canadian nationals and permanent residents who travelled there and have the right to return are now subject to stricter testing, isolation, and quarantine restrictions.
"The epidemic is far from ended," Transportation Minister Omar Alghabra told reporters on Tuesday, encouraging people to be vaccinated and follow public health precautions.
Even with the increased travel limitations, Duclos admits that "there will most certainly be community transmission of the novel type at some time in Canada." However, we see no sign of this currently since, as I previously stated, we were able to discover the instances of those travellers due to our border and other public health precautions."
However, in light of recent concerns regarding the Omicron version, the government is now requesting new recommendations from its vaccine advisory committee on the use of COVID-19 booster doses for the general public, rather than simply health workers and vulnerable groups as it is today. In addition, some nations, such as France, currently define "completely vaccinated" as three doses of a vaccine for persons over the age of 65.
According to the World Health Organization, the variation has changes that might aid in its spread and potentially undermine the protection given by vaccinations.
According to Duclos, the Omicron variation is a "cause of concern, not panic." Nevertheless, he believes its development is "yet another reason" why the vaccine advisory group should revise its recommendations for booster injections for fully immunized Canadians.
"We realize that this epidemic will stop only when it ends internationally," Duclos said, recognizing the "twin challenge" of safeguarding Canadians while also assisting poorer nations in obtaining vaccine doses to prevent the global spread of COVID-19.
More stringent border testing measures could help slow the spread of the new variant "if that is the goal," according to infectious diseases expert Dr. Isaac Bogoch, but there is a "big gaping hole" in the strategy, "and that gaping hole is the United States," because travellers flying in from the United States are not subject to the new on-arrival test-and-isolation requirements.
The reasons for omitting the United States are likely "political and pragmatic," according to Bogoch, but he said that there is little doubt the United States has Omicron instances — "they simply haven't found them yet."
Canada announced the new limits and enlarged travel ban as the Netherlands revealed on Tuesday that the Omicron variety appeared to have arrived in the nation before it was discovered in South Africa last week. In addition, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Hong Kong, Israel, Portugal, and the United Kingdom have all discovered the newest variety outside of the southern African area.
That is why Bogoch has stated that he does not like targeted country lists. "I believe this is basically a whack-a-mole game in which you add an increasing number of nations or regions to a list but are constantly two steps behind since the infection has already spread beyond those locations."
However, Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's senior public health officer, stated that the country has only mentioned nations that have had problems recognizing the existence of the Omicron form despite indications that it is currently spreading.
According to Tam, the three additional countries listed Tuesday "have not yet reported Omicron variant in their own country prior to other countries reporting imports from those countries, including Belgium, Israel, Hong Kong, South Korea, and now Canada, who've detected cases before the country of origin has detected cases."
By Scarlett Wilson
[Published
02 Feb, 2021 | 03:26 AM]
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By Scarlett Wilson
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By Eva Olsen
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By Joseph Parker
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By Scarlett Wilson
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1537
By Joseph Parker
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12 Oct, 2021 | 04:26 AM]
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By Eva Olsen
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By Joseph Parker
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By Joseph Parker
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By Scarlett Wilson
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By Scarlett Wilson
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By Scarlett Wilson
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By Eva Olsen
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By Joseph Parker
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By Joseph Parker
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By Eva Olsen
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By Joseph Parker
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By Scarlett Wilson
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By Scarlett Wilson
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By Scarlett Wilson
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By Eva Olsen
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By Joseph Parker
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By Scarlett Wilson
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By Eva Olsen
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By Eva Olsen
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By Joseph Parker
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By Scarlett Wilson
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By Scarlett Wilson
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By Eva Olsen
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By Scarlett Wilson
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By Eva Olsen
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By Joseph Parker
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By Eva Olsen
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1674
By Joseph Parker
[Published
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1498
By Scarlett Wilson
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1525
By Scarlett Wilson
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By Joseph Parker
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By Scarlett Wilson
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By Joseph Parker
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01 Mar, 2022 | 04:53 AM]
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By Scarlett Wilson
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By Scarlett Wilson
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By Scarlett Wilson
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By Scarlett Wilson
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By Scarlett Wilson
[Published
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1746
By Joseph Parker
[Published
15 Mar, 2022 | 04:14 AM]
3248
By Scarlett Wilson
[Published
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1995
By Eva Olsen
[Published
22 Mar, 2022 | 10:25 AM]
1487
By Eva Olsen
[Published
22 Mar, 2022 | 06:32 AM]
1388
By Scarlett Wilson
[Published
28 Mar, 2022 | 05:21 AM]
1271
By Eva Olsen
[Published
04 Apr, 2022 | 05:10 AM]
1958
By Eva Olsen
[Published
05 Apr, 2022 | 05:44 AM]
3406
By Joseph Parker
[Published
06 Apr, 2022 | 05:57 AM]
1807
By Scarlett Wilson
[Published
07 Apr, 2022 | 05:07 AM]
1624
By Eva Olsen
[Published
08 Apr, 2022 | 05:33 AM]
1319
By Eva Olsen
[Published
13 Apr, 2022 | 03:34 PM]
29171
By Joseph Parker
[Published
18 Apr, 2022 | 05:28 AM]
1036
By Eva Olsen
[Published
21 Apr, 2022 | 05:43 AM]
1275
By Eva Olsen
[Published
23 Apr, 2022 | 11:53 AM]
2039
By Scarlett Wilson
[Published
30 Apr, 2022 | 05:12 AM]
984
By Joseph Parker
[Published
02 May, 2022 | 05:10 AM]
1526
By Joseph Parker
[Published
06 May, 2022 | 05:32 AM]
1659
By Joseph Parker
[Published
20 May, 2022 | 05:00 AM]
1279
By Eva Olsen
[Published
30 May, 2022 | 05:36 AM]
1209
By Joseph Parker
[Published
31 May, 2022 | 05:04 AM]
1267
By Eva Olsen
[Published
02 Jun, 2022 | 05:00 AM]
1558
By Eva Olsen
[Published
08 Jun, 2022 | 05:20 AM]
1208
By Eva Olsen
[Published
14 Jun, 2022 | 04:51 AM]
1041
By Joseph Parker
[Published
21 Jun, 2022 | 06:11 AM]
1740
By Joseph Parker
[Published
27 Jun, 2022 | 10:02 AM]
1758
By Eva Olsen
[Published
14 Jul, 2022 | 03:02 PM]
1181
By Scarlett Wilson
[Published
19 Jul, 2022 | 04:44 AM]
1425
By Joseph Parker
[Published
02 Aug, 2022 | 10:12 AM]
1059
By Scarlett Wilson
[Published
10 Aug, 2022 | 08:10 AM]
1082
By Eva Olsen
[Published
27 Sep, 2022 | 07:18 AM]
1337
By Scarlett Wilson
[Published
28 Sep, 2022 | 05:34 AM]
819
By Eva Olsen
[Published
03 Oct, 2022 | 07:12 AM]
1009
By Scarlett Wilson
[Published
07 Oct, 2022 | 08:05 AM]
1194
By Eva Olsen
[Published
13 Oct, 2022 | 11:38 AM]
1360
By Joseph Parker
[Published
19 Oct, 2022 | 08:10 AM]
1175
By Scarlett Wilson
[Published
02 Nov, 2022 | 06:35 AM]
2359
By Joseph Parker
[Published
16 Nov, 2022 | 08:20 AM]
1921
By Joseph Parker
[Published
28 Nov, 2022 | 03:55 AM]
831
By Scarlett Wilson
[Published
03 Dec, 2022 | 06:15 AM]
890
By Joseph Parker
[Published
06 Dec, 2022 | 08:36 AM]
702
By Joseph Parker
[Published
29 Dec, 2022 | 04:26 PM]
1005
By Joseph Parker
[Published
04 Jan, 2023 | 06:20 AM]
894
By Eva Olsen
[Published
10 Jan, 2023 | 06:28 AM]
998
By Eva Olsen
[Published
20 Jan, 2023 | 06:48 AM]
24822
By Joseph Parker
[Published
25 Jan, 2023 | 04:21 AM]
1356
By Eva Olsen
[Published
04 Feb, 2023 | 07:57 AM]
35474
By Joseph Parker
[Published
07 Feb, 2023 | 06:24 AM]
3729
By Joseph Parker
[Published
11 Feb, 2023 | 06:27 AM]
2399
By Joseph Parker
[Published
17 Feb, 2023 | 07:45 AM]
1142
By Scarlett Wilson
[Published
20 Feb, 2023 | 06:42 AM]
1022
By Scarlett Wilson
[Published
27 Mar, 2023 | 06:03 PM]
6539
By Joseph Parker
[Published
28 Mar, 2023 | 06:20 AM]
3395
By Joseph Parker
[Published
04 Apr, 2023 | 04:58 AM]
4633
By CIC Times
[Published
02 May, 2023 | 05:28 AM]
16736
By Joseph Parker
[Published
27 May, 2023 | 05:08 AM]
3299
By CIC Times
[Published
08 Jun, 2023 | 04:10 AM]
18499
By Eva Olsen
[Published
22 Jun, 2023 | 05:48 AM]
1281
By Scarlett Wilson
[Published
23 Jun, 2023 | 04:56 AM]
1408
By Scarlett Wilson
[Published
01 Jul, 2023 | 05:40 AM]
2453
By CIC Times
[Published
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1468
By Scarlett Wilson
[Published
22 Aug, 2023 | 04:50 AM]
378
By Scarlett Wilson
[Published
29 Aug, 2023 | 04:26 AM]
380
By Eva Olsen
[Published
14 Sep, 2023 | 05:47 AM]
604
By Eva Olsen
[Published
19 Sep, 2023 | 04:53 AM]
376
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