Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says that the next phase of border reopening will deny the entry of unvaccinated tourists. When asked by a reporter if Canada will allow unvaccinated tourists, he said that “I can tell you right now, that’s not going to happen for quite a while”.
He added that “Before we get to reflecting on what international travelers who are not fully vaccinated might be able to do… The next step will be looking at what measures we can allow for international travelers who are fully vaccinated”.
Will Canada’s Border Restrictions Ease Further?
Canadian health officials are taking a closer look at different metrics to determine their next move. These metrics include hospitalization rates, vaccination rates, and the spread of COVID19 in Canada. What can make Canada open its borders? Canadian officials want to achieve herd immunity first before they make any change in border protocols. Prime Minister Trudeau wants 80% of Canadians to complete their vaccine doses for this to happen.
The current travel restriction expires on July 21. From there, officials will have to decide whether or not to extend or change their restrictions. On the bright side, the Canadian government rolled back on quarantine measures for fully vaccinated travelers. As of July 5, fully vaccinated travelers with Canada-approved vaccines no longer need to quarantine for 14 days. They can also skip the day-eight testing.
Comprehensive Border Reopening Plan
There’s pressure from both the US and within Canada to have a comprehensive border reopening plan. There are business groups that want to delay having a federal election until there is a reopening plan in place.
During the press conference, Trudeau did not commit whether he will hold off on an election. However, he said that the government will continue supporting businesses affected by the pandemic.
Trudeau said that “We will continue the reopening of our borders, but we will do it in a way that ensures the ongoing safety of all Canadians”.
