Canada makes changes to entry testing regulations at airports

Plane on runway at Montreal airport, Canada. Photo: Daniel Villeneuve / flickr

The government of Canada has now announced that they will resume mandatory random COVID-19 testing on arrivals at airports.

Plane on runway at Montreal airport, Canada. Photo: Daniel Villeneuve / flickr

Canada arrivals subject to tests at these airports…

The Canadian government recently announced the resumption of mandatory random COVID-19 testing on arrivals at Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Toronto international airports from 19 July. This applies to all incoming travellers, including fully vaccinated visitors.

According to a statement, the government said that it had temporarily ceased their mandatory random testing on arrivals in early June, as part of a broader strategy to move testing for air travellers outside of the airports, says Travel News.

The random testing will commence for both fully vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers, and will be completed outside of airports, either via an in-person appointment at selected testing provider locations and pharmacies, or via a virtual appointment for a self-swab test. Travellers who are not fully vaccinated, unless exempt, must continue to test on the first day and eighth day of their quarantine.

The country’s current COVID-19 regulations state that unvaccinated travellers have a mandatory 14-day quarantine on arrival, while qualified ‘fully vaccinated’ travellers must have been vaccinated with a primary series of an accepted COVID-19 vaccine for the purpose of travel, at least 14 calendar days before entering the country.

Visitors with a positive result on their arrival test will be required to isolate for 10 days, according to the country’s federal guidelines.

To be considered as ‘fully vaccinated’, travellers must have been vaccinated with a primary series of a Canadian-accepted COVID-19 vaccine for the purpose of travel. Photo: Ed Us / unsplash

Why the need for random testing?

According to the statement, the Canadian government says that the data gathered from the testing programme is used to understand the current level and trends surrounding COVID-19. This in turn continues to inform the country’s safe easing of border measures.

The government also said that it would resume testing fully vaccinated travellers in order to detect new COVID-19 variants.

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Sundeeka Mungroo

Sundeeka Mungroo is a content writer, foodie and all-round adventure-seeker. She's a graduate of the University of South Africa with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature, and has worked as a copywriter and editor in the digital marketing industry. Sundeeka currently writes for I Love South Africa and The South African. She lives in the beautiful Mother City and loves exploring all that South Africa has to offer.