Canada Makes Covid Tests Compulsory For Travellers; Excludes US Flights

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Ottawa: Canada, trying to stop the spread of the omicron coronavirus variant, will require people who come through the air from all countries except the United States to take Covid-19 tests, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said on Tuesday.
Ottawa also expanded the ban on travelers from South Africa to cover three more countries, so the total became 10.

Canada identified six people with a new variant, at least three of them recently in Nigeria.

“All air travelers come from outside Canada, apart from the United States, now it must be tested at the airport (where) they land in Canada,” Duclos said.

“They then need to isolate themselves until they get their test results.”

Duclos said the liberal government would speak with 10 provinces to see whether the testing requirements could if needed expanded to close all people who entered the country, either by air and on the US land border.

“We don’t know whether it needs to be done,” he said, did not add a decision taken.

Omar Transport Minister Alghabra said foreign nationals who have been to Nigeria, Malawi and Egypt in the previous 14 days will be blocked while entering Canada.

Last week Ottawa Barred by travelers who recently went to South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique.

Canadians and permanent residents who have been in 10 countries, even those who are fully vaccinated, must also be tested before entering Canada, he added.

The Western province of Canada Alberta has confirmed a case of the Omicron variant, the Head of Medical Officer Deena Hinshaw told reporters on Tuesday.

Hinshaw said the person was asymptomatic and recently traveled from Nigeria and the Netherlands.

Premiers of Ontario and Quebec, two densest provinces in Canada, called for Ottawa to impose more stringent steps and more testing for viruses.