Following the rise in COVID-19 cases around the globe Canada’s Minister of Transport, the Honourable Marc Garneau, has mandated that from 7 January all air passengers five years or older will be required to test negative for COVID-19 before travelling from another country to Canada.

The Canadian government has already implemented multiple measures to protect the health and safety of its citizens and to help prevent air travel from being a source of further introduction and spread of COVID-19 as well as new variants of the virus into Canada.

Passengers must present a negative laboratory test result to the airline prior to boarding a flight to Canada. The test must be performed using a COVID-19 molecular polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and must be taken within 72 hours prior to a passenger’s scheduled departure to Canada. Those authorised to enter Canada must still complete a mandatory 14-day quarantine even with a negative test result.

“Our government remains committed to protecting the health and safety of Canadians. These new measures will provide another layer of protection for Canadians as we continue to assess public health risks and work to limit the spread of COVID-19 in Canada,” said Garneau.

Meanwhile the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness underlined that, “The new testing requirement is an additional layer of protection that helps make Canada’s border measures among the strongest in the world.”

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