Winnipeggers scramble to alter travel arrangements in wake of rising omicron variant concerns

Sally Salib was in tears Wednesday.

The fully vaccinated mother-to-be is in Cairo, her pre-Christmas flight home cancelled, as concerns over the COVID-19 omicron variant spreads.

"We are stuck in Egypt right now and we don't know when we will come back to Canada," Salib said in a Zoom interview.

She journeyed to the northern African nation three weeks ago for a vacation and to be there for her pregnant sister.

As a result of the federal government banning travel from Egypt and nine other African countries in the wake of omicron, Salib is no longer able to travel to Canada directly from Egypt.

"My husband's still in Canada so I didn't know how to see him again. It's so hard," Salib said.

Whether you're vaccinated or not, all travellers coming to Canada from a banned country have to go to another country first and get a negative test there before continuing on to Canada.

Travellers then have to get tested again at whatever Canadian airport they arrive through, and quarantine until those results come back.

A negative COVID test will allow travellers the ability to continue home, but for those returning from a banned country, a 14-day quarantine is required — with another test one week into the self-isolation period.

"We need more flexible rules. We are fully vaccinated, we do everything as they said. The government said go get fully vaccinated and we do that because we love and respect the government.

"They have to respect us as well," Salib said.

She's not the only Winnipegger forced to scramble to change travel plans.

Josephine Nwaokike was going to Nigeria to celebrate Christmas with her husband, Kachi, and his family.

The couple has not seen each other in almost three years, but they planned to be together for two weeks over the holidays.