A top Canadian doctor says Canada doesn’t need to require PCR tests for incoming travellers. “What’s really clear is that COVID is everywhere and that it’s not travel that’s the major source of spread,” said Dr. David Carr, an emergency medicine professor in the Division of Emergency Medicine at the University of Toronto, told the CBC. “Making people repeat their PCR [test] upon arrival is deflecting resources away from where they could be better spent,” he said. “As we watch the loosening of other requirements, such as isolation periods, it would seem that loosening of requirements around travel should follow Read more
health
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. recently bumped cruise ship travel to its highest travel advisory level, recommending that Americans avoid cruise travel due to “very high” COVID-19 levels. But Avalon Waterways says they operated more than 100 cruises this past summer and fall without incident. “In fact, after operating more than 100 cruises this summer and fall across Europe, Egypt and the Galapagos Islands – and testing every single cruise passenger in preparation for their journeys home – Avalon Waterways ended its 2021 cruise season with ZERO (0) COVID-19 cases onboard. Not one of our Read more
Ontario is moving back to a modified Stage 2 COVID-19 plan, which means no indoor dining at bars and restaurants. Premier Doug Ford today said he knows the policies will cause pain for businesses and individuals, but that Ontario health officials were alarmed by the rising number of COVID-19 in the province and was worried about hospitals being overwhelmed. School kids will return to on-line classes until at least January 17, Ford said. Ford said the changes will come into effect on Wednesday, January 5 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time and will be “time limited.” Ontario Health officials said they Read more
As if dealing with COVID-19 and the Omicron variant weren’t enough, travelers are now facing problems lining up the tests they need to travel. Canadians who travel outside the country and want to return need to show negative results from a PCR-style COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of their scheduled departure. But there are reports of long lineups at testing sites in the U.S., which is frustrating travelers to no end. Fox13 News in Tampa said the demand for testing has risen quickly as new virus cases rise in the Tampa Bay Area. “Hillsborough County has seen more than Read more
In a major blow to the cruise industry, the U.S.-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Americans should avoid all cruise travel, even if they’re fully vaccinated. The CDC on Thursday upgraded its travel warning advisory for cruising from level three to level four. Level three indicates what the CDC calls a “high” level of COVID-19 and advises travellers to make sure they’re fully vaccinated before taking a trip. Level four is for “very high” levels of the virus and suggests that people “avoid travel” entirely. The world cruise industry was just getting its sea legs back in the Read more
