As if there weren’t enough turmoil at our airports, the federal government just announced it will return to random COVID-19 testing for fully vaccinated passengers, beginning July 19.
What are they thinking?
More than a month ago, amid that chaos at our airports, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) paused the random testing.
Just when you thought it was safe to travel again, it’s back to wreak even more mayhem.
Air travellers coming into this country will once again be selected at random for a COVID-19 test at airports in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal. The only modification is that testing will take place away from airports.
Unvaccinated passengers will still have to test for COVID on days one and eight of their mandatory 14-day quarantine.
This fresh hell of governmental intrusion into the lives of law-abiding travellers is the last thing travelers need. If you’ve followed public health guidelines by getting vaccinated, why should you be further penalized by a random test? It makes a mockery of vaccines.
The ArriveCAN app — another burdensome piece of red tape — will make the random selection and unlucky passengers will receive an e-mail within 15 minutes of filling out their customs declaration, telling them how to arrange their testing appointment.
At the beginning of the pandemic, it made some sense for public health officials to test at airports to reduce the spread of a virus we knew nothing about. At this point the virus, with all its variants, is worldwide and unstoppable.
Testing random passengers at the airport will do nothing to control the spread of it in the community. COVID-19 is here to stay and nothing we do at the airports now will change that.
All this measure does is create more delays and more intrusion into the lives of travellers.
And it will further hamper any recovery for the beleaguered airline and tourism industries in this country. Bad enough that travellers have to wrestle with the ArriveCAN app.
What foreign traveller is going to risk bringing the family here for a vacation if there’s a chance they’ll be whisked off for a COVID test and, if positive, have to isolate for 10 days?
Welcome to Canada: Home of Big Brother and the nanny state.
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