The Authorities of Canada introduced a short lived unfavorable COVID-19 take a look at requirement for vacationers arriving from the Individuals’s Republic of China, Hong Kong or Macao

Air vacationers two years of age and older might be required to current a unfavorable COVID-19 take a look at earlier than leaving for Canada starting January 5

December 31, 2022 | Ottawa, ON | Public Well being Company of Canada

Because the COVID-19 pandemic has continued to evolve, the Authorities of Canada has taken a prudent and measured method to adjusting border measures to guard the well being and security of Canadians. 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 accessible in these circumstances, the Authorities of Canada intends to place in place sure non permanent well being measures for air vacationers coming into Canada from China .

As of 12:01 am EST on January 5, all air vacationers who’re two years of age and older, arriving on flights originating from the Individuals’s Republic of China, Hong Kong or Macao, might want to present proof of a unfavorable COVID-19 take a look at outcomes, taken not more than two days earlier than their departure, to the airline previous to boarding. The take a look at may very well be both a unfavorable molecular (akin to a PCR take a look at), or a unfavorable antigen take a look at that has documentation to point out that it has been monitored by a telehealth service or an accredited laboratory or testing supplier. Passengers who examined optimistic greater than 10 days earlier than their flight departure, however not more than 90 days, can present the airline with documentation of their prior optimistic, instead of a unfavorable take a look at outcome.

These deliberate well being measures will apply to air vacationers, no matter nationality and vaccination standing. They’re non permanent measures, in place for 30 days, which might be reassessed as extra knowledge and proof turns into accessible. Airways should obtain a unfavorable COVID-19 take a look at outcome, or documentation of a optimistic take a look at outcome taken inside the prior 10-90 days, earlier than the traveler boards the aircraft, in any other case the traveler might be denied boarding.

Additional, when arriving at Major Inspection Kiosks and eGates, or when making a customs declaration utilizing the optionally available Advance CBSA Declaration previous to arriving at airports in Canada, vacationers might be requested if they’ve traveled to the Individuals’s Republic of China, Hong Kong or Macao within the final 10 days. If they’ve, Canada Border Providers Company Officers will present them with further public well being info on transmission of COVID-19, private protecting measures and what to do in the event that they develop signs of COVID-19. This is applicable to air vacationers solely, to not these arriving by land.

The Public Well being Company of Canada is putting in a pilot venture on wastewater testing from plane with Vancouver Worldwide Airport, and increasing the present venture with Toronto Pearson Worldwide Airport, to evaluate the prevalence of COVID-19 from varied areas of the world. The samples are then sequenced to watch for novel variants of concern.

The Authorities of Canada has a robust monitoring program in place with the provinces and territories to determine COVID-19 variants in Canada, together with the Omicron variant of concern and its sub-lineages, most notably via a sturdy genomic sequencing community and thru the monitoring of wastewater in Canadian communities. Optimistic take a look at samples for genomic sequencing are obtained from home provincial, territorial and federal molecular exams from all kinds of sources to check for rising variants.

Whereas not necessary, all vacationers are strongly advisable to put on well-constructed and well-fitted masks throughout their journey on planes and in airports, or different crowded indoor settings. People are reminded that they need to not journey if they’ve signs of COVID-19. If vacationers grow to be sick whereas touring, and are nonetheless sick once they arrive in Canada, they need to inform a flight attendant or a border companies officer upon arrival.

The Authorities of Canada continues to work with worldwide companions to boost sequencing capability and intently screens the worldwide epidemiology of COVID-19 and rising novel variants of concern.