Not all Canadian airports could have the capability to instantly start testing arriving air travellers from international locations apart from the USA for COVID-19, the federal well being minister mentioned Wednesday.
Ottawa introduced on Tuesday that each one air travellers getting into Canada, apart from these coming from the U.S., would should be examined for COVID-19 upon arrival on the airport and isolate till they get their outcomes, even when they’re totally vaccinated in opposition to the virus.
The stricter measures come as public well being officers all over the world warn of the doubtless harmful new Omicron variant of COVID-19.
“The directive to place that into place is now lively. So the path is given as of yesterday. And naturally that can take time to implement; it’s going to take time,” Well being Minister Jean-Yves Duclos mentioned Wednesday.
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“The velocity of implementation can even range in native airport situations. There are airports in Canada which may begin doing that basically rapidly as a result of there may be extra capability. Different airports will take a bit extra time.”
Duclos didn’t provide any further particulars on when the total testing can be up and working. Officers in his division have been unable to supply a particular timeline.
On Tuesday, as he and different cupboard colleagues unveiled the brand new testing measures, Duclos made clear the federal authorities would cowl the prices of the checks, and that each one earlier COVID-19 testing necessities would stay in place.
The opposite unknown hanging within the air Wednesday was whether or not Canada would require presently exempt American air travellers from the testing requirement, or whether or not the U.S. would reimpose its personal journey ban on Canada on condition that British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Alberta have all reported circumstances of Omicron — all involving individuals who lately returned from Nigeria.
The federal authorities has additionally closed its border to international nationals who’ve lately travelled via 10 African international locations, together with Nigeria.
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Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. Nationwide Institute of Allergy and Infectious Ailments and Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser, mentioned Wednesday that he has beneficial to the president that everyone coming in to the U.S. be required to take a COVID-19 check.
“You realize that the brand new regulation, if you wish to name it that, is that anyone and everyone who’s coming into the nation must get a check inside 24 hours of getting on a aircraft to return right here,” Fauci advised the White Home briefing Wednesday.
Consultants suspect it’s going to take weeks earlier than scientists know whether or not Omicron is extra transmissible, results in extra extreme illness, or is able to evading vaccine safety.
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra mentioned Wednesday that it was too early to say whether or not Canada’s newest requirement to check arriving air travellers for COVID-19 can be prolonged to included U.S. passengers.
The federal authorities is in discussions with the provinces on that situation however is able to act to implement such a requirement for incoming U.S. air travellers if mandatory, he mentioned.
“We decided proper now about testing each traveller coming in from all over the world apart from the U.S. We’re having discussions,” Alghabra mentioned.
“We should be ready and prepared if we have to alter that call to incorporate travellers from the U.S. We haven’t made that call but.”
Alghabra mentioned a call can be primarily based on “the epidemiology within the U.S., all over the world.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford was noncommittal on Wednesday about whether or not the testing requirement should be prolonged to incorporate the U.S.
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“The U.S. could have additional discussions with the federal authorities and the opposite premiers, and the territories as effectively, to get their enter, as a result of it doesn’t simply occur in Ontario. It’s proper throughout the border,” mentioned Ford.
Ford mentioned he was happy the federal authorities acted so rapidly after he “implored them” to take decisive motion after the brand new variant emerged.
Because the work continues to find out whether or not COVID-19 vaccines are efficient in opposition to the brand new variant, Ford mentioned “the very best factor we will do proper now’s to fortify our borders. Our greatest defence is maintaining the variant out of our nation.”
Quebec Well being Minister Christian Dube mentioned the federal authorities reacted rapidly with its border closures and new testing necessities.
As for the latter, he mentioned: “now, what’s left to indicate us is when he’ll begin that.”
Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino mentioned Wednesday that pre-departure checks obtained within the 10 listed African international locations are not legitimate and people returning to Canada after travelling via these nations have to be examined in a 3rd nation.
He mentioned obligatory testing for all air travellers, apart from these arriving from the U.S., “shall be coming within the very short-term.”
— With recordsdata from James McCarten in Washington, Allison Jones in Toronto and Morgan Lowrie in Montreal.
© 2021 The Canadian Press