Canada to temporarily require negative COVID-19 test from travellers from China
Posted December 31, 2022 2:53 pm.
Last Updated December 31, 2022 6:46 pm.
The Government of Canada announced that they will temporarily require people flying from China, Hong Kong, and Macao to test negative for COVID-19 before leaving for Canada, beginning in early January.
In a statement released Saturday, the government says the requirement will apply to all air travellers age two and older from the three countries and will begin on Jan. 5 at 12:01 a.m. EST.
The government says the measure is “in response to the surge of COVID-19 in the People’s Republic of China and given the limited epidemiological and viral genomic sequence data available on these cases.”
It says people will need to provide a negative COVID-19 test result to the airline, taken no more than two days before their departure, before boarding a flight to Canada.
The release says the test can be either molecular, such as a PCR test, or an antigen test from a telehealth service or an accredited laboratory or testing provider.
The federal government says passengers who tested positive more than 10 days before their flight leaves, but not more than 90 days, can provide the airline with proof of their positive test instead.
It says the measure, which will apply regardless of vaccination status, will be in place for 30 days and will be reassessed as more data and evidence becomes available.
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While not mandatory, the government says it strongly recommends wearing masks during travels on planes and in airports or crowded indoor settings.
Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra says their top priority is the safety of travellers and the transportation industry and that they’ll continue to take action and introduce measures to prevent the further spreading of COVID-10 into Canada.
“We will adapt our measures based on available data, the science, and the epidemiological situation in our country and globally to protect Canadians,” Alghabra said.
According to Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly, COVID-19 is still a threat that requires global cooperation. Joly says the Canadian embassy in Beijing and consulates across China can provide assistance to any Canadians who may need assistance.
