COVID-19 has undoubtedly impacted many of us, especially as the pandemic has reached peak heights in different parts of the world in recent months. As restrictions slowly become lifted, more and more people are beginning to travel abroad for essential travel, but what exactly do you need to know if you are traveling?

As you may already know, the most concerning part about this virus is how easily it can be transmitted between people, because there’s limited access to the vaccine and no treatment available for COVID-19. With that said, travels are restricted to those that are considered essential only. 

At this time, the Government of Canada does not provide a clear definition on what is considered “essential” travel, and recommends that each traveller assess their own reasons for travelling, and recommend that Canadians avoid all non-essential travel. If you are travelling for work or business, your travel plans are essential. 

That’s why we’re here to help. Follow the link below to find regular updates on the Government of Canada’s destination-specific Travel Advice and Advisories board. When it’s time to plan your travels, you’ll have the best up-to-date information so you can make the right decisions aimed to let you travel safely.

So, what can I expect before traveling? 

At the end of January 2021, the Government of Canada announced new restrictions surrounding international travels, which included the suspension of all flights to and from Mexico and the Caribbean countries until April 30th, 2021. As well, other measures have been put into place, such the funneling of all international flights to the four major Canadian airports (Montréal-Trudeau International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Calgary International Airport, and Vancouver International Airport).

What can I expect when I’m returning home from traveling? 

In early January, announcements by the Government of Canada were made surrounding the mandatory need for those boarding a flight to Canada to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result with the test needing to be completed within 72 hours of the scheduled departure time.

The test result must contain:

• Traveller name and date of birth
• Date and time of the test
• Test result and method used to conduct the test
• Name and address of the laboratory or clinic that conducted the test

There are only certain exceptions to this, such as those who are 4 years or younger, those that are transiting passengers not entering Canada through a border port, and those who are emergency, law enforcement or border personnel. 

Once you’ve returned to Canada, you must also undergo a mandatory 14-day isolation. In the coming weeks, there will also be a need for travelers returning to the country to book a Government of Canada-approved hotel room for 3 nights, and take a COVID-19 molecular test on arrival – both of which will be at the traveller’s expense.  

If you haven’t been vaccinated, how can you stay protected?

Given vaccine shortages, not everyone will have the opportunity to get vaccinated before their next need to travel. We recommend the following precautionary measures to reduce your risk of getting the virus, and the potential impact it could have on you if you’re needing to travel:

• Washing your hands thoroughly for 20 seconds and frequently 
• Avoiding close contact with others (especially those that are sick, and those who are confirmed or suspected to be COVID positive)
• Disinfecting surfaces that are frequently touched
• Avoid touching your mouth, nose, eyes, and face before you’ve washed your hands
• Avoid large public gatherings
• Getting your routine vaccinations up-to-date – including your influenza and pneumococcal vaccination

Overall, we understand that traveling can be a really stressful time, especially amidst a pandemic. At Mint, our certified travel health pharmacists can not only ensure your routine vaccinations are up-to-date, but they can also help ease the stress off of you from having to think about all of these factors and considerations in preparing for your travels.

Travel consultations can be booked through our website, our mobile APP (available on Android and iOS).  We run appointments most days of the week and can even accommodate travellers who are leaving on short notice. 

Resources

1. https://www.alberta.ca/covid-19-travel-advice.aspx
2. https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-canada/news/2021/01/government-of-canada-introduces-further-restrictions-on-international-travel.html 
3. https://tc.canada.ca/en/initiatives/covid-19-measures-updates-guidance-issued-transport-canada
4. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-covid-spreads.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fprepare%2Ftransmission.html