On Wednesday, the federal government announced a gradual easing of border restrictions related to COVID-19. The first phase will be to end mandatory quarantine at a hotel for fully vaccinated travellers. Here is what to expect.
Who does not need to quarantine at a hotel?
- Travellers who are fully vaccinated do not need to quarantine at a hotel.
Which vaccines count?
- The change only applies to those who have been vaccinated with a vaccine approved by Health Canada. Currently this includes Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson).
Does this mean that anyone can come to Canada as long as they have been fully vaccinated?
- No, the change only applies to those who already have the right to enter Canada under the current restrictions.
Will fully vaccinated travellers still need to get a COVID-19 test?
- Yes, in order to travel all travellers need to have a negative pre-departure PCR test and will need to be tested again upon arrival.
Does this mean that fully vaccinated travellers do not need to self-isolate?
- No, fully vaccinated travellers will have to self-isolate until they receive a negative result from their arrival test.
How does the change apply to families with unvaccinated children?
- This is still unclear. Minister of Health Patty Hajdu said that the government has yet to figure out all the details, but that families will not be separated.
