The federal government is extending until mid-July the pause in random COVID-19 testing for vaccinated travelers upon arrival at Canada’s airports.
The suspension, which began on June 11, was originally only supposed to last until July 1. Testing for unvaccinated people has not stopped.
After the temporary suspension period, all testing — for vaccinated and unvaccinated — will be conducted off-airport.
“Moving testing away from airports will allow Canada to adapt to increased travel numbers while being able to monitor and respond to emerging variants of concern or changes in the epidemiological situation quickly. “, supports the Public Health Agency of Canada in a press release published Wednesday to announce the extension.
Lately, large queues have been observed in several airports across the country, including Montreal-Trudeau and Pearson Airport in Toronto.
Ottawa says screening on arrival “detects and identifies concerning new variants of COVID-19 that could pose a significant risk to the health and safety of Canadians.”
The federal government also argues that the data so far collected has helped it in its decision-making regarding health restrictions.
“Our government’s commitment will always be to protect passengers, employees and our communities from the impacts of COVID-19, while ensuring that our transportation system remains strong, efficient and resilient over the long term,” said Transport Minister Omar Alghabra in the same statement.
The government is also announcing that the health measures currently in effect at the border, such as the vaccination requirement for foreign travelers entering Canada, will remain in place at least until September 30.