Canada ‘monitoring’ as other countries implement COVID-19 testing policies for travellers from China
By Mitchell Consky, CTVNews.ca writer
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TORONTO (CTV Network) — Following a surge of infections, the U.S. announced new COVID-19 testing requirements for all travellers entering from China – but Canada has not said whether it will be imposing a similar policy.
“Travellers continue to be advised to maintain enhanced health precautions and follow public health measures at their ports of entry,” said a spokesperson for the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) in an email to CTVNews.ca Wednesday. “Any other updates will be communicated to travellers through a travel health notice.”
The spokesperson also said that the PHAC “continues to monitor and assess the global epidemiology of COVID-19 for the health and safety of Canadians.”
As of Jan. 5, all travellers to the U.S. from China will need to take a COVID-19 test at most two days before travel, with negative test results required before boarding flights.
Other countries have also imposed measures to prevent infections from spreading beyond China’s borders. Japan requires a negative COVID-19 test upon arrival for travellers from China, and Malaysia will be implementing tracking and surveillance measures. Taiwan, South Korea and India are also requiring COVID-19 tests for travellers departing from China.
Although Canada has not yet announced preventative measures such as these, PHAC said it will continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 situation in China, “including genomic sequencing data and the potential impacts of circulating variants on public health.”
PHAC added that “individuals in Canada who plan to travel abroad should complete a COVID-19 vaccine series along with any additional recommended doses in Canada, at least 14 days before travelling.”
With files from CTVNews.ca writer Megan DeLaire
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