Air Canada Proposes Science-Based Approach to Easing Quarantine Restrictions

Air Canada's Chief Medical Officer has called on the Canadian government to consider a science-based approach to easing the Quarantine Act restrictions.

The suggestion is to replace current quarantine requirements for those countries with a low COVID19 risk from a public health perspective, with more proportionate, evidence-based measures.

Air Canada notes that other G20 countries have implemented practical, evidence-based approaches to travel by minimizing the risk of COVID-19 exposure through a range of measures endorsed by medical professionals worldwide including:

- Determination of safe corridors or travel between approved jurisdictions with fewer cases on the basis of low risk from a public health perspective (an approach adopted in the UK, France, Germany, Switzerland and Spain among others)

- Requirement for a pre-departure, medically certified negative COVID19 test in order to enter the country (Caribbean islands)

- Waiver of quarantine requirements following a negative test on arrival (Iceland, Austria, Luxembourg)

- Mandatory testing on arrival (South Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, United Arab Emirates)

Air Canada has recently undertaken several medical collaborations to further advance biosafety across its business, including with Cleveland Clinic Canada for medical advisory services, Ottawa-based Spartan Bioscience to explore portable COVID-19 testing technology and, since 2019, with Toronto-based BlueDot for real-time infectious disease global monitoring.

See latest Travel News, Video Interviews, Podcasts and other news regarding: COVID19, Canada, Air Canada, Quarantine.