Why just Africa? Health experts question Canada singling out continent with COVID travel rules
Global News
Canada expanded travel restrictions for 10 African countries after the Omicron variant of COVID-19 was discovered -- but experts warn vaccine inequity is the real threat.
As the newly discovered Omicron COVID-19 variant starts to invade cities around the world, Canada’s expanded travel restrictions have focused on countries in one continent: Africa.
But according to health experts, the choice to single out African countries doesn’t make sense — and could actually endanger the global fight against COVID-19.
“For travel restrictions to work, they have to be proportional, they have to be fair, and there’s got to be a good reason for it … this really doesn’t fit well at all,” said Kerry Bowman, a bioethicist at the University of Toronto, speaking to Global News from Al Ghaydah, Yemen.
Canada brought about its latest round of travel restrictions on Nov. 26 in response to worries about the newly discovered Omicron variant. The government banned travellers from seven African countries: South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini.
Days later, as cases were discovered in Canada, Spain, Portugal, Belgium and Hong Kong, among others, Canada broadened its travel restrictions to include three more countries: Nigeria, Malawi and Egypt.
Foreign nationals who have been to those countries over the past two weeks will not be able to enter Canada. Canadians and permanent residents who have transited through these countries over the past two weeks will have to quarantine, be tested at the airport, and await their test results before exiting quarantine, according to Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos.
The federal government stood by its decision on Tuesday. Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s top doctor, said the decision to limit the travel restrictions to the 10 African nations was based on several “criteria.”
“There may be some uncertainty in the countries’ overall epidemiologic situation and their ability to detect and respond (to the variant),” Tam said.
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