Out of concerns about the Omicron variant of Covid-19, Canada has adopted new measures for air passengers, even requiring fully vaccinated passengers to undergo molecular testing on arrival and to quarantine them before these results are obtained. This applies to all international travelers, including travelers from India, and is only exempt from travelers arriving from a US departure point.
Canada has also expanded the travel ban on foreign citizens from certain African countries, adding three countries to its list. Although the initial ban introduced last week was for people from seven southern African countries, the list was expanded to include Egypt, Nigeria and Malawi on Tuesday. These restrictions apply to people who have been to the listed countries/regions in the past 14 days, and they are also required to provide negative test results within 72 hours of traveling to Canada.
These announcements came on a day when many Indians’ travel to Canada was relaxed, as the country began to accept that those who had received two doses of Covaxin were fully vaccinated. However, the new measures will mean that all arriving passengers will be tested at their Canadian port of entry. These new measures are driven by growing concerns about the Omicron variant, which is considered to be more transmissible than the original Covid-19 virus that originated in China, or previous variants such as Alpha and Delta.
Canadian citizens and permanent residents can still travel to the country from ten African countries, but must undergo a 14-day quarantine.
To date, 7 Omicron-related cases have been reported in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta in Canada.
Health authorities are now considering implementing a booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine for eligible people who have received two injections.
Canadian Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said in a statement: “We are taking quick action at the border to reduce the import of travel-related Omicron variants. Although our monitoring system is working well, we now know that Canada exists. Omicron variant. We need to be vigilant about our actions.”
News Source : Hindustan Times
