You need a negative test to return to Canada but can go to a bar as soon as you land without one.
As Omicron continues to spread faster than any other variant so far, there are still a variety of rules in place. It has some industries questioning how effective they really are, especially when they negatively impact them.
On Monday, Westjet, Air Canada, and the Toronto Pearson Airport called for the end of testing upon arrival – saying Canada’s limited testing resources could be better used in schools, hospitals, and long-term care homes.
Dr. Dan Gregson, an infectious disease specialist in the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary, sees the practicality in this suggestion.
“If you’re trying to prevent transmission from people coming into the country, even testing upon arrival doesn’t pick up 100 per cent,” said Gregson.
Read more:
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Airlines, airport ask government to drop arrivals testing requirement
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WestJet cuts more flights due to Omicron challenges
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‘Relieved, but what a nightmare!’: Traveller’s pre-entry COVID test questioned by border officials
In an open letter from the chief medical officers of health for Air Canada, Toronto Pearson, and WestJet, they say, “over 123,000 PCR tests were conducted last week at Canada’s airports with an average positivity rate of 3 per cent. Meanwhile, the positivity rate in our communities is now approximately 30 per cent and could be higher due to the under-reporting of positivity from a lack of tests.”
Another example: only vaccinated people are allowed into public places like restaurants, but the virus is still spreading despite vaccination.
Alberta Restaurants in the Restrictions Exemption Program (REP) must stop alcohol service at 11 p.m. and close by 12:30 a.m.
The Alberta Hospitality Association released a statement about this – arguing these restrictions are not based on any presented science or data, and single out and target the industry –costing jobs and income with no further financial help from the government.
“To be 100 per cent effective in terms of reducing community spread, you do what they’re doing in Ontario and shut everything down.”
The federal government also is holding strong on requiring truckers to be vaccinated, despite calls that this could further hinder our food supply chain.
Related article:
Feds not backing down on vaccine mandate for Canadian truckers
Gregson says the new challenge in this wave is that vaccination is not preventing transmission like it used to, though it is still working to keep hospitalization and ICU rates low.
“That benefit you were getting from the vaccines waned a little bit with Omicron so that’s what’s happening – we’re seeing large amounts of transmission in the vaccinated population and it’s spilling over into the unvaccinated population.”
