Some restrictions to be relaxed for fully vaccinated travellers come July
The Canadian government is planning a slow and steady approach to ease the restrictions on cross-border travel.
Windsor-Essex Medical Officer of Health Dr. Wajid Ahmed says he welcomes an eventual easing of restrictions, but notes cross-border travel comes with risks and challenges.
“I think we just need to be careful in who we are allowing and what criteria we are using to allow these people to travel,” he says.
The federal government announced Wednesday, three-day hotel quarantines for returning air travellers and two-week self-isolation periods could be over in July for those who are fully vaccinated.
Ahmed says proper precautions are needed saying the active case rate in Windsor-Essex remains a concern.
“Our active cases have gone down less than 150 in our community which is great, but that means there are still 150 people that we are aware of that are currently infectious,” he says.
The region’s top doctor says since Windsor is a border city, there are residents who could have been vaccinated stateside, without being in the local health unit’s system.
“How do we even know about those people? What is happening to the people who are crossing the border every day? We don’t have some of those systems in place,” he says.
Ahmed explains immunization cards, similar to those in Manitoba, could be the eventual reality, but wants to ensure systems are in place to see only fully vaccinated travellers return at the border.
“We truly want to see that enforced appropriately and ensuring that anyone who is visiting or travelling are fully vaccinated,” he says.
The Canadian Travel and Tourism Roundtable said the federal government plan doesn’t go far enough to allow Canadians the chance to plan their summer.
Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island CEO Gordon Orr welcomes the idea of less travel restrictions, but tells CTV News a heads-up to allow the industry a chance to prepare is crucial.
“Make no mistake, we want to do it in a meaningful, measured way, we just want to know what the plan is so the industry can brace themselves and prepare for it.”
Orr notes the tourism sector was among the first impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and is expected to be among the last to recover.
“There’s planning for staff, there’s planning for staff training recruitment, operational supplies.” Orr says, “Our hope is to save a much of the tourism industry this summer season as we can. Opening up the border is something we’re all looking forward to at the right time."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
BREAKING Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.