OTTAWA, Canada — Canada plans to briefly require folks flying from China, Hong Kong and Macao to check detrimental for COVID-19 earlier than leaving for Canada.
The requirement will apply to all air vacationers aged two and older from the three nations and can start on Jan. 5, the federal authorities stated in a information launch Saturday.
“These deliberate well being measures will apply to air vacationers, no matter nationality and vaccination standing,” the discharge stated. “They’re momentary measures, in place for 30 days, that can be reassessed as extra knowledge and proof turns into obtainable.”
The US introduced on Wednesday it could require all vacationers from China to indicate a detrimental COVID-19 check end result earlier than flying to the nation as Beijing’s speedy easing of COVID-19 restrictions results in a surge in circumstances.
The Canadian authorities stated its new testing measure is “in response to the surge of COVID-19 within the Individuals’s Republic of China and given the restricted epidemiological and viral genomic sequence knowledge obtainable on these circumstances.”
Individuals might want to present a detrimental COVID-19 check end result to the airline, taken not more than two days earlier than their departure, earlier than boarding a flight to Canada.
The check will be both molecular, equivalent to a PCR check, or an antigen check from a telehealth service or an accredited laboratory or testing supplier, the discharge stated.
Passengers who examined constructive greater than 10 days earlier than their flight leaves, however no more than 90 days, can present the airline with proof of their constructive check as an alternative.
“For the reason that begin, our Authorities has taken the mandatory steps to maintain Canadians secure within the face of the COVID-19 pandemic,” federal well being minister Jean-Yves Duclos stated in an announcement. “Our actions proceed to be guided by prudence and we is not going to hesitate to regulate measures to guard the well being and security of Canadians.”
