Starting November 30, unvaccinated travelers over 12 years old in Canada can no longer board planes or interprovincial trains. This time, a negative COVID19 test is no longer a substitute for proof of vaccination.
The policy initially took effect on October 30. However, the federal government allowed unvaccinated travelers to have a transition period. Initially, unvaccinated travelers can show a negative molecular COVID19 test taken 72 hours.
Medical Exemptions for Unvaccinated Travelers
The new policy will excuse individuals who have medical exemptions and if you are traveling to remote parts that are only accessible by plane. Those who are also just transiting through Canada also don’t need to worry about the new policy. Plus, this rule does not apply to commuter trains.
According to the government website, “If you indicate to your airline or railway company that you’re eligible to board but fail to provide proof of vaccination or valid COVID19 test result, you won’t be allowed to travel and could face penalties or fines”.
Currently, Canada has a high vaccination rate. 86% of Canadians 12 and older already completed their vaccine doses.
In a tweet by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in October, “We’re taking these steps to finish the fight against COVID-19, and we’re using the most effective tool–vaccines – to get the job done”.
Two days before the implementation of the new policy, Canada discovered its first two omicron cases. The discovery of the omicron variant prompted countries to close their borders to certain countries. However, Israel and Japan barred the entry of foreign nationals.
According to the World Health Organization, there are a lot of things that experts still don’t know about the new variant.
On Tuesday, Canada expanded its travel restrictions to three more African countries. Dr. Howard Njoo, Canada’s deputy chief public health officer said that the additional border measures will help give Canada more time to understand the new variant. He said that “We don’t have those answers yet”. He added that “scientists around the world are working closely to find those answers”.
