Variants: Ban on flights to India and Pakistan for 30 days. Coronavirus

Thus, passengers going to India or Pakistan after this time must travel to another airport before entering Canada. And the federal government adds another condition, as another negative test will be required during this last stop.

The federal government announced this late Thursday during a virtual press conference attended by several members of the Trudeau cabinet.

This is a temporary measure, while we assess the development of the situation and determine appropriate measures for the future.

The decision comes after a finding by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) Increase ratio Positive cases of passengers going from India or Pakistan, the declaration said.

According to Health Minister Patty Hazdu, 20% of passengers entering Canada have flights from India, but 50% of all positive tests at the border.

Some non-passenger flights between Canada, India and Pakistan will still not be authorized. Ensuring continuous supply of vaccines, personal protective equipment and other essential items, Assured the Minister of Transport, Omar Algabra.

With such permission COVISHIELD – the Indian version of the AstraZeneca vaccine – will be ordered to be obtained in Canada by the Trudeau government, Which will eventually arrive later than expectedOn Thursday, according to Major-General Denny Fortin, responsible for the vaccination operation in Canada.

Air Canada flights suspended

Quickly, Air Canada conveyed its intention to comply with the Trudeau government’s decision.

The last scheduled passenger flight between the countries will be Toronto to Delhi from 10:30 pm EDT tonightThe carrier told Radio-Canada.

Air Canada operates daily connections between Toronto and New Delhi, as well as four weekly flights between Vancouver and the Indian capital. However, it does not serve Pakistan.

Affected customers will be made aware of the situation and will be offered the options involved a full refundThe company said.

A request from the commons

There was strong pressure on the Trudeau government to ban these direct flights. Concerned about the proliferation of Brazilian and Indian variants in Canada, elected representatives of the House of Commons demanded that it intensify control over the country’s airports.

A motion tabled in Parliament by Block Quebokis was unanimously adopted on Thursday afternoon, without the Liberals opposing it.

The government asked the above proposal Immediately stop non-essential passenger flights from countries with high outbreak rates of COVID-19 variants, including India and Brazil, as it is [avait] Built during the suspension of flights from the UK on 20 December 2020.

However, the federal government did not ban flights from Brazil on Thursday. Dominic LeBlanc, President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister for Intergovernmental Affairs, said there is currently no direct flight from Brazil to Canada.

Ontario and Quebec also wanted

On Twitter, the head of Quebec, François Legaul, welcomed the Trudeau government’s decision, saying it was tense Many more contagious variants And he needs ottawa Do more to protect the population.

Earlier today, Ontario and Quebec sent a letter to the Prime Minister stating that he would reduce the arrival of international flights and the Canada-U.S. Tighten targets at the border – an approach supported by British Columbia and Alberta according to our sources in Legault.

These new measures should be implemented for as long as possible, or until the new types of risks seen in Canada are effectively mitigated as a result of non-essential air and ground movement.

According to François Legault, who spoke to the press in the morning, the infected passengers still manage to enter the country despite control measures.

What’s more, media searches for schemes that allow travelers Bypass mandatory quarantine rules According to him, it is worrying. Like the trend of False negative test for COVID-19.

Travelers arriving in Canada must currently undergo three screening tests: a few days before their arrival; Upon arrival; And at the very end of the mandatory 14-day quarantine period.

Those arriving in the country by air also have to stay at the hotel for three days at their expense, awaiting the outcome of their second COVID-19 test – a rule that does not apply. On Canadian land borders.

A form that scares

PHAC has so far identified 51 cases of the Indian version in Canada, including At least 39 in british columbia. A First Quebec Case, Wednesday, and First alberton case, Was also reported on Thursday.

Suspected of being more resistant to COVID-19 vaccines, this variant is compared to previous strains of the disease Cause for great concernEven though nothing proves for the moment that it is more contagious, specify many researchers who have asked on the subject.

India identified on Thursday About 315,000 new cases of COVID-19 in 24 hours, Breaking a terrible world record while the situation is tense in their hospitals struggling with a shortage of oxygen and beds.

Many countries around the world have taken action to reduce or even ban flights from India, including France, the United Arab Emirates and New Zealand. Meanwhile, the United States now advises against traveling to India, as Britain has linked the country with it. red List.

With Sebastian Bowett and The Canadian Press