(Ottawa) The end of mandatory drug testing for trips of less than 72 hours will have been short-lived. They will be in effect again. Travelers must submit to it abroad.
Ottawa dropped this requirement on November 30. Canadians will therefore have to re-show negative results from a recent molecular test (PCR) in order to enter the country. It is an expensive screening test that costs $ 150 to $ 300.
As of Wednesday, the federal government has recommended avoiding non-essential travel outside of Canada, regardless of vaccination status. Hospitals across the country are at risk of being inundated with COVID-19 patients with the meteoric spread of the Omicron variant.
In addition, the entry ban for foreign nationals from 10 African countries will also be lifted as of December 18. It was imposed at the end of November in the face of the new threat posed by the Omicron variant which was first identified in South Africa. In addition to this country, Botswana, Egypt, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria and Zimbabwe were targeted.
A necessary measure to slow the spread of Omicron which is no longer useful today, said the Minister of Health, Jean-Yves Duclos.
More details to come.