Pricey and 91裸聊视频渋rrational91裸聊视频� COVID-19 tests, along with 91裸聊视频渄iscriminatory91裸聊视频� quarantine policies for kids, are making it difficult for families to travel even when all adults are fully vaccinated, according to members of the Canadian Travel and Tourism Roundtable.
All travellers over the age of five, regardless of citizenship or vaccination status, must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 molecular test in order to enter the country. Rapid antigen tests are not adequate under Canada91裸聊视频檚 rules.
That can cost between $150 and $300 for each test, making it prohibitively expensive for many families.
Meanwhile, children can91裸聊视频檛 attend school, camp or daycare, be in crowded places or take public transportation for 14 days once they return home to Canada.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 irrational,91裸聊视频� said Perrin Beatty, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, who is also co-chair of the roundtable. 91裸聊视频淚t simply doesn91裸聊视频檛 make sense.91裸聊视频�
Beatty joined members of the travel and tourism industry at a press conference Thursday to call on the federal government to remove 91裸聊视频渦nnecessary and non-science-based91裸聊视频� obstacles to international travel for families.
91裸聊视频淭he critical consideration here is that people be doubly vaccinated,91裸聊视频� said Beatty, who served as federal health minister under former prime minister Brian Mulroney from 1989 to 1991.
91裸聊视频淚f somebody coming into Canada can demonstrate that they91裸聊视频檝e been doubly vaccinated, then they meet the criteria for being low risk in Canada.91裸聊视频�
Canada91裸聊视频檚 COVID-19 testing and screening expert advisory panel released a report in May that specifically recommended against pre-departure screening for vaccinated travellers. However that was before the Delta variant emerged, and the authors flagged their uncertainty about the potential impacts of variants of concern.
David Schwartz, a father of two who lives in Ottawa, said travel is out of reach for his family right now.
His family hoped to be with his in-laws in Texas to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary this winter, but molecular tests for all of them would add $800 to $1,000 to the cost of the trip.
They also can91裸聊视频檛 manage to keep both kids home for an extra two weeks after the trip is over.
A negative test with no symptoms should be enough to allow kids to return to school after travel, he said.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e done everything we could to support the pandemic effort as a family. We got vaccinated, we stayed home, we missed those family milestones,91裸聊视频� Schwartz said.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e asking the government today to please change the rules so we can begin to get back to normal life.91裸聊视频�
The latest figures from the Public Health Agency of Canada show that of all COVID-19 tests completed at the border on vaccinated travellers between Aug. 9 and Oct. 21, only 0.18 per cent were positive.
For unvaccinated and partially vaccinated travellers, 0.91 per cent were positive.
Last week, chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam said test requirements at the border are 91裸聊视频渧ery much a live issue,91裸聊视频� but that she still believes pre-departure tests are an important layer of protection to prevent COVID-19 cases being imported to Canada.
91裸聊视频淔or now, we haven91裸聊视频檛 shifted that policy, but we91裸聊视频檙e reviewing that on an ongoing basis,91裸聊视频� Tam said Oct. 29. 91裸聊视频淓specially during a period of time when Canada is still, in many areas, battling the fourth wave.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频擫aura Osman, The Canadian Press
