Canada will reportedly lift its vaccine mandate for travelers entering the country at the border starting in October.
The Associated Press reported Wednesday that “an official familiar with the matter” said this week that Canada will drop the vaccine requirement for foriegn nationals. Currently, unvaccinated travelers who are allowed to enter the country undergo mandatory arrival tests and a 14-day quarantine.
The official who spoke on the condition of anonymity reportedly said that Prime Minister Justine Trudeau needs to give “final sign off” on the new policy. In addition, the government will likely drop random COVID-19 testing at airports.
AP noted that unvaccinated professional athletes have not been allowed to cross the border into Canada since the mandate took effect. The outlet spoke to an infectious disease specialist, who said the mandate should have been lifted “a long time ago.”
Dr. Andrew Morris, an infectious disease specialist at the University Health Network and Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, as well as a professor in the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine, said removing the vaccine requirement should have been done a long time ago.
“Zero benefit to ensure people vaccinated. It doesn’t keep cases nor variants out,” he said.
The Detroit News reported that more than 40,000 commuters, tourists and truck drivers carrying #323 million worth of goods cross the Ambassador Bridge connecting Detroit, Michigan to Windsor, Ontario every day.
Townhall covered in February how Canadian truckers launched a “Freedom Convoy” to protest vaccine mandates pushed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The convoy concluded at the nation’s capital, Ottawa, which declared a state of emergency over the truckers after they parked in the city streets. The convoy spread to other parts of the country, including the Ambassador Bridge.
As I reported, Mayor Drew Dilkens of Windsor, Ontario said in a press conference that Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, offered to send over “heavy equipment” to help remove trucks blocking the bridge.
During the convoy, Matt covered how Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act, which allowed the government to seize the bank accounts of residents suspected of helping the protesters without a warrant. Before Trudeau invoked the Act, reports circulated that he would consider deploying the military to remove the truckers.