Expect similar actions across Canada. The bigger issue is potentially increased quarantine scrutiny for those arriving unvaccinated or partially vaccinated especially from covid hot spots like Asia and South America. Looking at covid cases coming from abroad, they have decreased dramatically but I see there are certain routes that always have positive cases. Hope Canada is looking into these specific routes and trying to implement further screenings. I also sense that some airlines may not be screening transit passengers for signs of covid. As Canada opens up more we also need to stop cases from coming through our borders and if cases enter covid not spread to non-travellers and the general community.
Any new information on the latest announced travel restrictions please post here
- Thread starter JohnnyToronto
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Good points. For example, at this moment, France doesn't allow travellers to come without a PCR test even if they're vaccinated with sinopharm. And if they're from the orange zone and are vaccinated with sinopharm, they can't come, except if they've a compelling reason.
Indeed, sinopharm hasn't been approved -yet- by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). As of today, the EMA has approved 4 vaccines: Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and J&J.. However, sino (and sputnik ?) is approved by the WHO.
I couldn't find if sino and Sputnik V are approved by Canada ? I guess they follow the recommendations of the WHO ? I'm not sure.
https://www.medias24.com/2021/05/31/a-ce-stade-le-vaccin-chinois-ou-russe-ne-permettra-pas-lentree-en-france-secretaire-detat-francais/
https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1797875/oms-covid-19-vaccin-sinovac-biotech-homologation
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/who-gives-emergency-approval-sinopharm-first-chinese-covid-19-vaccine-2021-05-07/
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My understanding is that they are about different things - each country's drug regulator (EMA for EU) approves a drug for use inside the country, for being both safe and effective. And since in many countries the government is the only likely purchaser, mostly only the ones that are actually going to be used will be approved. That doesn't mean they won't 'recognize' other vaccines but they can't be administered in Canada - like most other pharmaceuticals, they need approval.
Whereas the WHO's 'approval' is mainly about whether the vaccine is effective against covid - and with little direct control of additional things the national regulators look at (manufacturing, supply chain, etc) that bear more directly on safety. Smaller countries might just accept WHO recommendations and anything on the list could be used domestically, but bigger countries all have their own separate process like Canada.
(The parallel might be, for example, that you could only get "Company A" tetanus vaccine in Canada, but that for most purposes "Company B" vaccine used in some other country is fine and to the extent Canada ever looks at such vaccination records for things like schooling, they're acceptable)
So 'accepting' foreign vaccines for travel purposes and for those arriving from abroad is a separate decision and up to the government - I think the government could accept all the foreign vaccines for travel purposes and related, or just do its own thing and come up with own system and requirements. Which would probably end up looking somewhat like the EMA's approach - some mix of accepting specific vaccines or documentation from certain countries/medical systems, etc.
Which unfortunately doesn't tell anyone trying to plan much of use just yet, except that it probably won't happen all at once, likely with a fair amount of international haggling about documents and standards and caution to start.
And of course - for Canada the priority is going to be largest economic partners (ie USA); everything else - later.
Separately, I just saw that universities in Ontario are starting to announce some initial vaccination requirements for students - notably University of Toronto will require first shot for students in residence. (They'll help get it, etc). As far as I can tell they are not providing any guidance on foreign vaccines - they'll likely follow the lead of the Feds.
WHO involves a lot of politics so I don't think most countries will use their list of approved vaccines. Canada may evaluate each vaccine and determine what will be accepted for travel yet not approve vaccines for use in Canada. Companies have to apply for approval although the drug approval process has been different than normal for the covid vaccines. There is a lot of politics involved in the Sinovac and sputnik vaccine. Making judgement on the vaccine may be interpreted as making judgements on the country that produced the vaccine. May be easier to start with saying that we accept the vaccines currently approved in Canada.
I think we are mostly saying the same thing - yes, they'll likely start with those approved in Canada. And with major trading partners with health systems/regulators in which Canadian counterparts have more trust.
But I repeat that someone who gets the Pfizer vaccine in some other country should NOT think that means the same thing as having got the Pfizer vaccine in Canada - the issue will also be who issued the vaccination certificate, which means which country they're coming from.
And I emphasize again: one shouldn't confuse the Canadian drug approval process with the WHO 'approval' - Canada's drug approval process is almost entirely focussed on what drugs may be administered in Canada. (I don't believe there even is a process for a company to 'apply for approval' of a vaccine separate from applying to have it approved for use within Canada)
WHO approval provides one way that Canada could approach for travel purposes - but it is not obligatory, and not fully defined in terms of documentation (eg vaccine passports or certificates) anyway.
So yes - it will take time and Canada will start with the vaccines approved in Canada (which also happen to be those used in USA and EU), and also with countries whose vaccine documentation is considered 'acceptable.' And a lot more caution / less haste for countries using different vaccines, ongoing covid breakouts, and more variants (because vaccine effectiveness not yet clear).
I have no info on whether sputnik or sinovac will be 'accepted'; I don't think it will be as simple as 'which vaccine' anyway, for the reasons above - the issuing authority of the vaccine certificate could matter more. (Of course, right now there's a high overlap of 'countries whose regulators/officials/systems we trust', 'countries we have important economic ties with', and 'countries using the same vaccine as us' anyway.)
an end to hotel quarantine and 14 day mandatory quarantine for returning Canadian travelers?
https://toronto.citynews.ca/2021/06/09/canada-covid-19-travel-quarantine/
https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/feds-ending-hotel-stay-14-day-quarantines-for-fully-vaccinated-canadian-travellers-sources-1.5462527?fbclid=IwAR0I9p7mmnZrKc5ktn7WDP0RkgcjEEWD4K8anM-6BrrqdEEPXGHRuKMjLYo
https://toronto.citynews.ca/2021/06/09/canada-covid-19-travel-quarantine/
https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/feds-ending-hotel-stay-14-day-quarantines-for-fully-vaccinated-canadian-travellers-sources-1.5462527?fbclid=IwAR0I9p7mmnZrKc5ktn7WDP0RkgcjEEWD4K8anM-6BrrqdEEPXGHRuKMjLYo
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I bolded and underlined the only important part. If it proceeds as this rumour suggests, government is being cautious and the measures will remain in place for anyone who is not a returning Canadian. (This will be popular)
Next steps will be very cautious announcements of relaxation of these measures for US residents (fully vaccinated), then other countries, etc.
Short form: do NOT expect any change in short term to apply to non-Canadians (at first), then USA, and slowly for other countries thereafter. (Very slowly for many countries...)
You know... at this point, nothing else matters to me - this means to me, I can go see my husband without barriers, I'm a Canadian, I'll take it! If his application is approved and he comes - he will go through the necessary steps, and we've discussed him doing his full 14 day quarantine in hotel or at home and I stay at hotel anyhow, so that we are not sharing a space, even if I'm fully vaccinated.
Brave !
I wonder if the ' 3-day resort ' hotels will be offering any rebates to maintain customer loyalty ?
Just for future prospectus.
https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/feds-ending-hotel-stay-14-day-quarantines-for-fully-vaccinated-canadian-travellers-sources-1.5462527
Yep so no hotel and no 14 days provided test returns negative (still isolation until test results received) for fully vaccinated (2 doses/1 dose J&J) Canadian citizens and PRs. Still need PCR pre departure test.
We can expect to see changes for US residents by June 21st when current restrictions expire as well.
International I would expect to hear something similar later this summer if something is put in place with the US end of June.
Edit: 10 million doses of Pfizer and 7 million doses of Moderna expected in June (after no delivery of Moderna recently, finally some guarantee from them as well). That should help get more of us to our 2nd dose and therefore fully vaccinated soon.
Yep so no hotel and no 14 days provided test returns negative (still isolation until test results received) for fully vaccinated (2 doses/1 dose J&J) Canadian citizens and PRs. Still need PCR pre departure test.
We can expect to see changes for US residents by June 21st when current restrictions expire as well.
International I would expect to hear something similar later this summer if something is put in place with the US end of June.
Edit: 10 million doses of Pfizer and 7 million doses of Moderna expected in June (after no delivery of Moderna recently, finally some guarantee from them as well). That should help get more of us to our 2nd dose and therefore fully vaccinated soon.
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What about those who got vaccinated in Canada but are not Citizens or PRs ?
EDIT : got my answer here :
https://www.lapresse.ca/covid-19/2021-06-09/voyages-a-l-etranger/fin-de-la-quarantaine-a-l-hotel-en-juillet.php
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Does this mean the quarantine for family members stays but no hotel quarantine?
I read this : https://www.cicnews.com/2021/06/canada-plans-to-lift-quarantine-on-exempt-travellers-by-early-july-0618332.html#gs.2x8g8p
For now, I don't think there is such a plan announced. For now there is no change to family members, only for Canadians and PRs (well and exempt people as well). For everybody else, rules stay in place. Furthermore those changes are expected for early July, so even if further announcements are made (and I expect some for sure) in June, they won't be in place until further this year.
If you listen here (https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/hotel-quarantine-1.6058930), she says: "currently allowed to enter Canada".