New rules regarding international travel and quarantine were released in the past few days. This article provides an update on the Omicron variant of COVID-19 and vaccines now accepted by the Canadian Government.
Traveling to Canada from countries affected by the Omicron variant:
From November 27, 2021 until January 31, 2021 most travelers who were in the countries where there is an outbreak of Omicron or there is a risk of an Omicron outbreak will not be allowed to come here if they were in the affected countries within 14 days of their trip to Canada.
This is the current list of the countries affected by Omicron:
- Botswana,
- Egypt,
- Eswatini,
- Lesotho,
- Malawi,
- Mozambique,
- Namibia,
- Nigeria,
- South Africa and
- Zimbabwe.
For un updated list of the countries affected by Omicron, please visit the website of Public Health Agency of Canada.
This special measure does not apply to:
- Canadian citizens;
- Canadian permanent residents;
- people with status under the Indian Act;
- protected persons;
- persons who already boarded a plane to Canada at the time when the list of the Omicron-affected countries was updated;
- persons who are needed in Canada because of the national interest and
- persons who don’t leave their boat or airplane while in Canada.
Canadians and others who have the right to travel to Canada will have to:
- show a negative COVID-19 molecular test that was taken 72 hours prior to the arrival in Canada or departure of the flight to Canada;
- get tested upon arrival in Canada;
- get tested on Day 8 and
- quarantine for 14 days upon entry.
Accepted vaccines:
As of November 30, 2021 the Canadian Government accepts the vaccines manufactured in India and China. The list of accepted vaccines now includes:
- Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty, tozinameran, BNT162b2);
- Moderna (Spikevax, mRNA-1273);
- AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria, COVISHIELD, ChAdOx1-S, AZD1222);
- Janssen/Johnson & Johnson (Ad26.COV2.S);
- Bharat Biotech (Covaxin, BBV152 A, B, C);
- Sinopharm (Beijing) BBIBP-CorV (Vero Cells) and
- Sinovac (CoronaVac, PiCoVacc).
The following vaccines are not recognized for the time being:
- Cansino (Convidecia, Ad5-nCoV);
- Gamaleya (Sputnik V, Gam-Covid-Vac) and
- Vector Institute (EpiVacCorona).