Canada working with the US to close travel ‘loophole’

Ottawa CNN — Canadian officials said Friday they are working with the Biden administration to close what they describe as a travel “loophole” and to get more symmetry with Covid-19 safety protocols between the two countries. “A loophole, frankly, does exist because the Americans previously had not placed any restriction on international flights coming into the US,” said Bill Blair, Canada’s public safety minister, during a news conference Friday. “We could be bringing in new measures that significantly impede your ability to return to Canada, at any given moment, without warning,” Trudeau said during a news conference Friday, adding, “The bottom line is this: This is not the time to travel either internationally or across the country.” International air travelers who currently enter Canada must show proof of a negative test result for Covid-19 taken within 72 hours of departure and are also subject to a 14-day mandatory quarantine with violators facing stiff financial penalties. “We are looking at a number of measures that can include further restrictions on international travel, additional tracing measures, additional quarantine measures and enforcement measures in order to de-incentivize and discourage people from making unnecessary trips,” Blair said Friday. “This gives us hope that community based control measures are starting to take effect,” said Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer.