The federal government has lifted some COVID-19 border measures for passengers arriving in Canada, but senior public health officials have said the government is not backing down when it comes to aircraft camouflage and domestic travel vaccine mandates.
In a news release Friday, the government announced that public health measures would be eased for some eligible passengers from Monday (April 25th).
Fully vaccinated passengers will no longer be required to provide a quarantine plan upon entry, and unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children aged 5 to 11 who are accompanied by a fully vaccinated parent or guardian will no longer need to be tested for COVID-19 for entry into Canada.
“The health and safety of Canadians remains our top priority, and as vaccination levels and health system capacity improve, we will continue to consider further easing science-based border measures,” Health Minister Jean said in a statement. -Yves Duclos.
A number of other measures will also be lifted next week. The government will no longer require fully vaccinated passengers to disguise themselves in public places for 14 days after arrival or to maintain a list of close contacts and places visited.
But while the government is withdrawing from some measures, it is adamant about others, such as mandatory camouflage on planes and trains.
“While some restrictions may be eased, air and rail passengers are reminded that they still need to wear a mask while traveling,” Transport Minister Omar Algabra said in a statement.
“Wearing a mask offers an extra layer of protection for you and your companions and will help keep Canadians, workers and our transportation system safe.
WATCH Public health officials say the mask mandates will remain in force for travel
Public health officials say the mask mandates will remain in force for travel
Chief Public Health Officer Dr Teresa Tam says staff will continue to monitor the pandemic and mask mandates will remain in force for the time being. 1:07
In an update to COVID-19 on Friday, Canada’s chief public health officer, Dr. Teresa Tam, said she approved of maintaining the requirement to disguise aircraft – at least for now.
Although masks can be uncomfortable, she said, they provide an extra layer of protection while traveling and do not restrict travel.
“If you’re going to travel with people in a certain environment, I think it’s reasonable to keep requiring you to wear a mask,” she said.
“So I think that’s one of the least intrusive measures, but it definitely adds another layer of protection.”
The government also has no plans to end vaccination mandates for travelers.
Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Dr Howard Nju said vaccination remained the best protection against the virus.
“At the end of the day, I think everyone agrees that vaccines are still our main tool, our main layer of protection,” he said.
WATCH Njoo discusses easing travel restrictions in a pandemic
Njoo discusses easing travel restrictions in a pandemic
Canada’s deputy chief public health officer, Dr. Howard Nju, says vaccines are still key to travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. 1:36
Nju also said that while some border measures are easing, it is important to maintain the infrastructure that has helped health officials test and check passengers for the virus.
“[If] “COVID-19 is addressing the worst, and we need to readjust and return to a different regime, perhaps similar to the one we may have had before, we are ready to do that,” he said.
The United States government extended the rule today that non-US citizens crossing land or ferry terminals at the US-Canada border must be vaccinated against COVID-19.
The hospitalization rate seems manageable, Tam said
There he said that although there are signs of COVID-19 approaching its peak in some jurisdictions in Canada before the Easter holidays, the virulence of the Omicron variant creates uncertainty.
“It is still too early to say whether our long weekend activities could lead to another blow,” she said.
While Tam says there is an increase in hospitalizations, severe cases are still relatively rare.
“Although the recent increase in hospitalization rates in several jurisdictions seems manageable, critical care remains low,” she said.
“We continue to hope that the increase in transmission rates over the last few weeks will not have as strong an impact on hospitalization trends as seen during earlier waves.”
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