Canada to receive South Africa COVID-19 tests, lower antagonistic 3rd-country law

Key takeaways: 

• Ottawa had encountered strain from doctors, passengers and WHO to reverse course.
•  Canada will begin conceding molecular COVID-19 tests completed at an accredited lab in South Africa for citizens returning home, settling a heavily censured travel rule instructed to stop the spread of the omicron variant. 

Canada to get South Africa covid-19 tests: 

Canada will start recognizing molecular COVID-19 tests conducted at an accredited lab in South Africa for residents returning home, dropping a heavily criticized travel restriction introduced to prevent the spread of the omicron variant.

Ottawa had encountered strain from doctors, abandoned passengers and the World Health Organization to reverse provisions that travellers from 10 southern African nations get molecular PCR tests in a third nation before returning to Canada.

Canada has now settled the requirement to get a pre-departure negative COVID-19 PCR test from a third nation, according to a travel advisory published on Saturday.

The exemption will be in position until Jan. 7 following year and used to all indirect flights leaving from South Africa to Canada, the advisory added.

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There is no difference to Canada’s ban on all foreign tourists from 10 African nations.

Canada, the United States, the UK and other nations have passed Africa-specific travel prohibitions even as the omicron variant is noticed in more than 50 nations around the world.

But few nations have set omicron regulations identical to Canada’s need.

The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, named actions securing southern African nations “disappointing” and “dismaying” in a tweet. Source – cbc.ca