To board a plane, train or ship, travelers to Canada must now show that they are fully immunized. A measure greeted with indifference by some, but with skepticism by those who have not received their two doses.
Embraces, heartbreaking separations, luggage piled on trolleys, long queues: a frenetic atmosphere reigns in the national and international departures section of the Montreal international airport on Saturday afternoon.
Full COVID-19 vaccination is now mandatory in Canada for all travelers 12 years of age and over who board planes, trains and ships. Travelers will need to show proof that they have received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine approved by Health Canada no later than 14 days before their departure. In other words, a vaccination passport is now required to travel.
For Adil Ijaz and Salma Rzik, who are returning to Edmonton after a visit to Montreal, this measure seems illogical. “Especially when you stay inside the country,” explains Salma Rzik. In the other countries, where we do not know the transmission, I understand. But here, a PCR test would have been sufficient, ”she believes.
PHOTO PASCAL RATTHÉ, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Adil Ijaz and Salma Rzik
The couple does not have a vaccination passport. He benefits from the one-month grace period granted by the federal government. Indeed, it is still possible for unvaccinated passengers to provide a negative screening test until November 29.
Reactions that diverge
Some travelers already vaccinated explained to Press that this measure did not change anything for them. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” said Holliness Buselengete, en route to Quebec City with her son Israel.
PHOTO PASCAL RATTHÉ, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Holliness Buselengete sees no problem with the travel vaccine passport.
Karyna and Mark Bardei, two Montrealers of Ukrainian origin, do not see any problem with this new policy either. “For us, this is not a big issue. We got vaccinated because we wanted to return to a normal life, ”says Karyna Bardei. “It’s hard to say if it’s a good thing or a bad thing,” said Mark Bardei, who is a figure skating coach, however. He thinks of some of his unvaccinated friends who will now have to drive a car back from the United States, rather than fly.
PHOTO PASCAL RATTHÉ, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Karyna and Mark Bardei are getting ready to visit Vancouver.
For Anis Kafidi, who flew to Germany on Saturday, all the measures related to vaccination are complicated and the organization of his trip was a headache. “The vaccination passport, we no longer really have a choice,” he observes. If we have it, we are free, if we do not have it, there is not much we can do. For the young man, vaccination should be a personal matter. ” We, [les personnes vaccinées], we can still transmit it [la COVID-19]. So people who do not have a vaccination passport, they put their lives on the line, ”he believes.
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Anise Kafidi
Vaccination delay
A reprieve is also granted to foreign citizens who will be able to fly until February 28 to leave Canada, even if they are not vaccinated. However, these travelers will have to present a negative molecular test for COVID-19 before they can board the plane. To benefit from this exception to the rule, they must also have entered Canada before October 30.
As of November 30, anyone who takes a train, plane or cruise ship in Canada will need to prove they are vaccinated against COVID-19.
For Marguerite Hébert, an American who has just arrived from Florida with her family, one thing is certain, the measures have the merit of being clear. “We are very impressed by the control of COVID-19 at the airport! », She emphasizes.
With The Canadian Press