OTTAWA — Canada is re-tightening its border as it braces for Omicron with measures that will affect communities along the frontier.
Justin Trudeau’s government announced Friday that it will again require all returning travelers who spend fewer than 72 hours outside of Canada to produce a pre-arrival, negative PCR test result. The rule, which Canada eased Nov. 30, will be back in force Dec. 21.
Quick context: The change comes amid mounting Omicron fears in Canada that have quickly led authorities in many regions to re-impose pandemic measures, including limits on gatherings and a pause on in-person attendance at some major sporting events.
Earlier this week, the federal government advised against nonessential travel outside the country amid a powerful resurgence of Covid cases.
“This is psychologically and mentally difficult, but we Canucks have been through that [before],” Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said Friday. “We've come this far, now is not the time to give up.”
Duclos said he and his G-7 counterparts discussed Thursday the possibility the world will experience a “perfect storm” in the coming weeks. The ingredients, he said, would include a surge that sends far more people to hospitals combined with a major acceleration in the number of infected health care workers.
“It’s a perfect storm that we absolutely must avoid,” he said.
Travel update: Duclos also announced Friday that Canada is lifting a travel ban for people returning from 10 African countries, including South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Namibia, Nigeria, Malawi and Egypt. The change will take place Saturday at 11:59 p.m.
“While we recognize that this initial emergency measure created controversy, we believe it was a necessary measure to slow the arrival of Omicron in Canada at a time of uncertainty,” Duclos said. “Given the current situation this measure has served its purpose and is no longer necessary.”
The U.S. border: Just over two weeks ago, Canada stopped requiring a pre-arrival molecular tests from travelers who leave and return to the country within 72 hours.
Border communities and business groups had pushed for the change to maintain fluidity at the frontier. Many expressed concerns the roughly C$200 price tag per test would deter cross-border trips to the U.S. and hurt businesses.
State of Covid in Canada: Theresa Tam, Canada’s top doctor, told the same press conference that close to 350 cases of Omicron have been reported across the country.
The number is expected to climb quickly.
She warned that the expected resurgence, which could roll in at unprecedented pace, has the potential to overwhelm Canada’s “already strained and fragile” health care system.
“As a profoundly exhausted health care workforce is faced with a potential looming crisis in the weeks to come, I'm urging Canadians across the country to please carefully consider and adjust your holiday plans to minimize risks and maximize layers and quality of protection for you and yours,” Tam said.
Tam also urged Canadians to get their Covid vaccine booster shots and, for many, to complete their first two-dose series of jabs. She noted that 7 million people in Canada, which has one of the world’s highest vaccination rates, have yet to get the first or second shots.
What’s next: Duclos said Canada is moving quickly to boost its testing capacity at its airports and land borders with the U.S.
Overall, he said to expect authorities to continue adjusting their response as the situation develops.
“I believe Canadians have seen how quickly the evolution can change around Omicron,” he said.
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