Travel Businesses And Public Health Experts Questioning Canada’s Continued Vaccination Mandates

Travel businesses and public health experts are questioning the prudence of Canada’s continued vaccination mandate on airplanes and at the border.

Travel businesses and public health experts are questioning the prudence of Canada’s continued vaccination mandate on airplanes and at the border, suggesting the policy may be out of step with the science and global tourism trends.

The federal government announced Tuesday that COVID-19 travel restrictions will remain in place at least until the end of the month, including the requirement that anyone coming into Canada or boarding a plane or train inside the country be vaccinated.

The extension of the measures was met with pushback from industry groups contending that the public health requirements could hamstring Canadian tourism during the important summer season.

The government is reviewing the evidence and consulting with experts and other jurisdictions to guide its decisions around the vaccine requirements for travel.

Travelers aged 12 and older must show proof that they are fully vaccinated to board domestic or international flights departing from most Canadian airports. The requirements also apply to trains and cruise ships.

As of April, fully vaccinated travelers can get into Canada without a pre-entry COVID-19 test but may be subject to a random test upon arrival, and have to answer screening questions on the ArriveCan app. Pre-entry tests are still required for partially vaccinated or unvaccinated people over the age of 12 who are eligible to travel to Canada. Travelers who don’t meet the vaccine requirements may be turned away at the border or required to quarantine for 14 days or until their departure.

Public health officials have said repeatedly since the Omicron variant hit in late 2021 that the virus was more adept at transmitting between vaccinated people than its predecessors.

Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam has said that cabinet should re-evaluate the measure given that vaccines now provide less protection against transmission, and the government says those re-evaluations happen on an ongoing basis.