OTTAWA – The national public health agency says it is “closely monitoring” the COVID-19 situation in China, but gives no indication that it plans to follow the United States in requiring travelers from China are tested for the virus.
The Public Health Agency of Canada says in a statement that any policy changes will be made in a travel health notice.
It says there is already a “level two” advisory for all countries, including China, which means travelers should apply enhanced health precautions, including the use of personal protective equipment, delay the travel and avoid high-risk activities.
An additional Chinese New Year notice was issued on Dec. 23, saying the festivities in late January are expected to involve large crowds in China, increasing the risk of COVID-19 infection or other illnesses.
It says “China recently lifted many of its COVID-19 restrictions,” which could increase the number of cases in the country, and unvaccinated people should continue to avoid unnecessary travel.
PHAC’s statement says it is monitoring genomic sequencing data and the impacts of COVID-19 variants on public health in China.
United States announced Wednesday it joined a few other nations in imposing travel restrictions due to an upsurge in infections in China after strict virus checks were rolled back there.
Starting Jan. 5, travelers to the United States from China will be required to take a COVID-19 test no more than two days before their trip and provide negative results before boarding their flights.
— With files from the Associated Press
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on December 28, 2022.
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