OTTAWA — The removal of mask mandates and vaccine requirements has medical professionals and front-line workers reiterating that COVID-19 is still a threat.
The federal government announced on Monday that starting Oct. 1, all COVID-19 entry restrictions will be removed, including testing, quarantine and isolation requirements for anyone entering Canada.
Canada is one of the last countries to remove travel requirements following the U.S. and the U.K. — yet the removal of requirements does not mean the removal of the threat of COVID-19.
Tourism Minister Randy Boissonnault says the measures remain flexible and adaptable.
A professor of epidemiology at the University of Saskatchewan, Nazeem Muhajarine, says passengers should continue to wear a mask through all stages of the travel process.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents many of Canada’s flight attendants, has also called upon the federal government to ensure sufficient workplace personal protective equipment is provided to staff once the mandate has been lifted.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2022.
The Canadian Press
