Close X
Thursday, November 14, 2024
ADVT 
National

Manage risks, don't close border again: task force

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 29 Oct, 2021 02:22 PM
  • Manage risks, don't close border again: task force

WASHINGTON - A new report is urging Canada and the United States to keep their shared border open when the next pandemic hits, rather than closing it entirely to non-essential travel.

The task force, assembled by the D.C.-based Wilson Center, says a risk-management approach to the border would have been less disruptive and damaging than the "zero-risk" approach that was adopted.

The group includes former public safety minister Anne McLellan and ex-Quebec premier Jean Charest, as well as former Washington state governor Christine Gregoire and James Douglas, the former governor of Vermont.

The group's yearlong investigation also found that the border closure was far less integrated between the two countries than was originally believed.

Charest says a number of people living on both sides of the border suffered throughout the closure, which took effect in March 2020, and that the cost was ultimately too high.

And he says now is the time to get a mutual strategy in place, since the prospect of another pandemic is not a question of if, but of when.

The travel rules prohibited non-essential leisure travel over the land border without restricting trade shipments and essential workers. Canada began easing restrictions for fully vaccinated travellers in August, while a new U.S. requirement that travellers be fully vaccinated will take effect Nov. 8.

The U.S. will continue to require that air travellers produce evidence of a recent negative COVID-19 test, but the office of New York congressman Brian Higgins says that requirement won't apply to those entering the country by land.

"U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed for us again today that there will not be a testing requirement for vaccinated travellers to cross the land border," Higgins' office said in a statement.

Higgins has already called on Canada's federal government to abandon its requirement that travellers submit the results of a costly PCR test before arriving at a land-border crossing.

He says the $200 test remains a significant deterrent to travel and a drag on the economic recovery in border communities.

Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer, acknowledged Friday that testing is "very much a live issue" both inside the federal government, as well as in discussions with provinces and territories.

But as of now, she said the testing requirement remains an important safety measure, even with strong vaccination rates in Canada, particularly given the uncertainty surrounding the Delta variant and lingering questions about how long vaccines remain effective.

"No layer of protection is ever 100 per cent perfect, we know that," Tam said.

"With all these considerations, I think having that additional layer of protection (from testing) is important at this time, but we will review it."

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Vancouver police highlight random assaults

Vancouver police highlight random assaults
Vancouver police said in a series of posts on social media last week that there were 1,555 "unprovoked, stranger assaults" involving 1,705 victims reported between Sept. 1, 2020, and Aug. 31 this year.

Vancouver police highlight random assaults

Public asked to keep eye out for missing 21-year-old Delta resident Anmol Jagat

Public asked to keep eye out for missing 21-year-old Delta resident Anmol Jagat
“Anmol’s family is extremely concerned for his safety, and says disappearing in such a manner is not in his character,” says Cris Leykauf, spokesperson for Delta Police. She notes the family only moved to North Delta three months from outside BC, so Anmol is not that familiar with the area.    

Public asked to keep eye out for missing 21-year-old Delta resident Anmol Jagat

'Solemn day' for B.C. health-care system

'Solemn day' for B.C. health-care system
Adrian Dix said 1,369 of the unvaccinated workers are in the Interior region of the province, which has a total of about 126,000 health-care workers, and that overall vaccination rates are also low in Northern health.

'Solemn day' for B.C. health-care system

457 COVID19 cases for Tuesday

457 COVID19 cases for Tuesday
There are 4,829 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 195,646 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 390 individuals are in hospital and 155 are in intensive care.

457 COVID19 cases for Tuesday

B.C. offers rebates for vehicle charging stations

B.C. offers rebates for vehicle charging stations
Bruce Ralston, the minister of energy, mines and low carbon innovation, says B.C.'s charger rebate program will receive $10 million as part of the budget this year to support installations of the charging stations.

B.C. offers rebates for vehicle charging stations

B.C. announces priority groups for booster shots

B.C. announces priority groups for booster shots
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says those groups and people who are most immunocompromised were vaccinated first and are getting to the point of waning immunity just ahead of flu season.

B.C. announces priority groups for booster shots