Omicron threat: Canada likely to announce new travel guidelines

Many measures that eased as vaccination rates increased could be rolled back in an announcement that is expected soon. Among them is barring fully vaccinated foreign nationals from travelling to the country, according to the outlet CBC News. Such travellers were allowed since September 7 this year. Similarly, while the government officially withdrew its advisory against non-essential travel by Canadian citizens and permanent residents outside the country this October, that is likely to make a comeback, according to the outlet CTV News.These moves are expected after Trudeau held an emergency conference call with premiers of Canada’s provinces and territories on Tuesday evening as Omicron threatens to disrupt the holiday season in the country.

In an interview with the outlet Red FM on Tuesday, Justin Trudeau said, “This Omicron variant is scary. And it’s the last thing anyone needs, to have to worry, again, about another wave.”

However, he added that with greater vaccination uptake including booster and paediatric doses along with health-related precautions, Canada would “make it through this winter and into a much better summer”.

National Omicron figures were not provided, but the country’s most populous province Ontario reported that the variant now accounts for 30.8% cases of new daily infections with the doubling time at just three days. Ontario health officials expected the variant to account for nearly all new cases by January next year.

More worryingly, the province’s Science Advisory Table placed the reproductive or R rate at 4.01, far higher than that for Delta, which was at 1.09.

There were 4,336 fresh cases of all Covid-19 infections on Tuesday and Canada’s chief public health officer Dr Theresa Tam tweeted that eight provinces had reported higher numbers, making “for a national weekly increase of 30%”.