Alberta UCP MLAs advised to not journey internationally over holidays amid COVID-19 uncertainty

Alberta UCP MLAs have been advised to not journey internationally over the vacations.

In a memo to authorities caucus MLAs dated Dec. 16, chief authorities whip Whitney Issik mentioned: “I’m directing that Members of Authorities caucus won’t be permitted to journey internationally right now.”

The steering got here after the federal authorities on Wednesday introduced that Canadians, no matter their COVID-19 vaccination standing, ought to keep away from all non-essential worldwide journey amid an increase in Omicron circumstances.

“To those that had been planning to journey, I say very clearly, now shouldn’t be the time to journey,” mentioned federal Well being Minister Jean-Yves Duclos.

“The speedy unfold of the Omicron variant on a worldwide scale makes us worry the worst for Canadians which will consider travelling. Travelling Canadians might contract the virus, or get stranded overseas.”

Issik mentioned COVID-19 is unpredictable and the journey directive shall be in place till additional discover.

“I perceive that this directive might affect relations and vacation plans, however we should present management as we be taught extra in regards to the Omicron variant,” Issik mentioned within the memo.

“Presently, interprovincial journey is permitted. If travelling to a different province, all provincial pointers within the jurisdiction of journey should be adopted.”

Previous to the federal authorities’s announcement with official steering on worldwide journey Wednesday, NDP Chief Rachel Notley mentioned she had already suggested her caucus to cancel their worldwide journey plans.

“In the previous few days we’ve been watching what’s been happening and I suppose it was a day and a half in the past we began getting a way that we had been going to see extra restrictions coming from the federal authorities, and really presumably an announcement to return to the previous guidelines of no pointless journey,” Notley mentioned Wednesday morning.

“That’s the recommendation and the route that I’ve only recently given to our caucus. So we now have a number of caucus members who’re within the midst of now cancelling their journey plans.

“We’ve already suggested them to do it. Fairly truthfully, we expect it’s fairly possible that it’s going to occur. And albeit, in the event that they do it now, they’re much less more likely to spend time in a queue and extra presumably in a position to get their a reimbursement. We expect it’s simply clever to go forward with it now.”

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As of Thursday afternoon, Alberta had detected 119 circumstances of the Omicron variant of concern, a rise from 60 circumstances of the variant the day earlier than.

Final 12 months, a number of UCP MLAs and staffers for Alberta’s United Conservative Social gathering got here below fireplace after it got here to mild that they’d participated in non-essential worldwide journey over the vacations. On the time, the federal authorities had urged towards all non-essential journey outdoors of the nation.

On the similar time, COVID-19 restrictions in place in Alberta meant folks weren’t allowed to collect indoors with out folks outdoors of their households, with few exceptions for individuals who reside alone.

Earlier Friday, the federal authorities additionally reintroduced the requirement for a pre-arrival detrimental COVID-19 take a look at for all travellers leaving Canada whatever the length of the journey.

Beginning Dec. 21, all travellers coming into Canada might want to present proof of a detrimental polymerase chain response (PCR) take a look at. This contains Canadians re-entering the nation from journeys overseas that had been lower than 72 hours, Duclos mentioned.

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