QUESTION PERIOD — Public Safety
COVID-19 Pandemic--Travel Restrictions
December 2, 2021
My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.
Experts agree that all viruses mutate over time. Most mutations have little to no impact on the properties of the virus.
Concerning the Omicron variant, the WHO noted in its November 30 statement that global travel bans do not prevent the international spread of the virus and they place a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods.
Closing the borders can have an adverse effect on global health efforts during a pandemic, by dissuading countries from reporting and sharing epidemiological and sequencing data.
To date, the Omicron variant is the fifth variant “of concern” on the WHO list. It has been detected in several Canadian provinces.
Senator Gold, can you tell us what scientific evidence and which recommendations from the Public Health Agency of Canada led the government to impose entry restrictions on citizens from 10 African countries?
Thank you for the question. The emergence of the Omicron variant is worrisome, but the government is intervening swiftly by strengthening border controls. For example, the government is imposing stricter screening and entry requirements at the border, increasing monitoring of new variants and working with public health to better understand the epidemiological situation in Canada.
These public health measures are based on science and evidence provided to the government. I don’t have a detailed answer to your question about the scientific basis and specific Health Canada recommendations that led to the decision to block international flights. I’ll let you know as soon as possible once I get more information from the government.
Thank you for your answer, Senator Gold. Here’s my supplementary question. To put an end to the pandemic, we need to ensure swift, efficient distribution of COVID-19 vaccines around the world. What impact will the decision to close Canadian borders have on the global distribution of vaccines?
Thank you for your question, Senator Mégie. As I have said recently in this place, the Government of Canada is committed to doing its part in the global fight against COVID-19 by providing not only financial support but also vaccines to countries that need help.
With respect to your specific question, I’ve made inquiries, but I don’t have any answers yet. Once again, I will give the Senate an answer as soon as I get one.
