The govt. of Canada is yet again extending the emergency orders that place restrictions on international travel and make mandatory 14-day quarantines for anyone entering the country during the novel coronavirus pandemic. The orders are going to be extended for a minimum of one month, the government said.
“Our government is extending the existing restrictions on international travel to Canada by one month — until September 30, 2020 — to limit the introduction and spread of COVID-19 in our communities,” said Public Safety Minister Bill Blair in a Tweet sent out Friday afternoon.
“Canadian citizens and permanent residents returning to Canada will continue to be subject to strict quarantine measures.”
The ongoing restrictions prohibit all non-essential or discretionary travel to Canada from countries aside from the US. This includes any leisure travel, like vacation and entertainment travel, for non-Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
Canadians who prefer to travel abroad, including to the U.S., are going to be required to self-isolate upon their return. Essential workers, including health-care professionals, airline crews and commercial truckers will still be exempt from quarantine measures.
Some immediate members of the family of Canadian citizens and permanent residents also will be allowed to enter Canada by air if exempt.
Friday’s announcement also doesn’t affect the Canada-U.S. land border, which remains closed to all or any non-essential travel until Sept. 21.
Despite ongoing travel restrictions, the number of international travellers arriving in Canada by air has increased significantly since the first months of the pandemic.
The most recent statistics, provided by the Canada Border Services Agency, show that roughly 60,000 international passengers arrived in Canada each week during August. This includes travellers on flights from the U.S.
Collin Furness, an epidemiologist and infectious disease specialist at the University of Toronto, has expressed concern about the growing number of international travellers coming to Canada. He believes the govt hasn’t done enough to limit non-essential travel and to obviously define what “essential” travel means.
The government, meanwhile, says it’s up to individuals to determine what non-essential travel means “based on family or business requirements, knowledge of a country or region, and other factors.”
(Source: Global News)
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