By: Thomas I. Likness
EBC News Service

(Eagle News) — Canada may ban flights from countries with high Covid-19 infection rates while extending the country’s travel, testing and quarantine measures, said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Tuesday.

“I have asked our official to look carefully at what the UK has done very recently on suspending flight from India, what more can and should be done to ensure that we are not getting cases from overseas,” Trudeau told a news conference.

Trudeau credits his measures for keeping the spread of variants and covid-19 from travel low, adding international travel accounts for less than two percent of all cases in Canada.

“Our strict travel, testing and quarantine measures are extremely important which is why we’re keeping them in place,” said Trudeau, adding they will remain in place until at least May 21.

Since last year, there has been a mandatory, two-week quarantine for anyone arriving in Canada. The government then added more measures.

People coming to Canada must get a pre-departure PCR test to demonstrate they are negative for Covid-19 when they get on the plane to come back to Canada. Upon arrival, they have to quarantine for two or three days at a government-approved hotel while waiting for test results.

“As we saw the emergence of variants around the turning of the new year, we increased significantly our restrictions at the borders,” said Trudeau. “And that has been something that has been extremely effective in limiting the importation and therefore the spread of Covid-19.”
(Eagle News Service)