Passengers traveling to Canada by air, train or ship must show that they are fully immunized. An action that was welcomed with indifference by some, but with suspicion by those who did not receive their two doses.
Adaptations, heartbreaking sections, luggage piled up, long queues: A frantic atmosphere prevails in the national and international departures section of Montreal International Airport on Saturday afternoon.
The full COVID-19 vaccine is now mandatory for passengers over the age of 12 in Canada and boarding planes, trains and ships. Passengers must show proof that they have received two doses of the Covit-19 vaccine approved by Health Canada 14 days prior to departure. In other words, you now need a vaccine passport to travel.
For Adil Ijaz and Salma Rizik, who left for Montreal and returned to Edmonton, the move seemed unfair. “Especially when you’re in the country,” Salma Risik explains. In other countries, we do not know the exchange, I understand. But here, a PCR test would have been enough, ”he believes.
Photo by Pascal Ratte, Special Collaboration
Adil Ijaz and Salma Risik
The couple does not have a vaccination passport. He benefits from the one-month grace period granted by the Central Government. In fact, it is still possible to offer a negative screening test until November 29 for unvaccinated passengers.
Different reactions
Explained to some passengers who have already been vaccinated Press That this move did not change anything for them. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” said Holinus Puslengate, on his way to Quebec with his son Israel.
Photo by Pascal Ratte, Special Collaboration
There is no problem with the Holinus Buslengate travel vaccine passport.
Two Montrealists of Ukrainian descent, Karyna and Mark Bardei, see no problem with this new policy. “For us, it’s not a big deal. We’ve been vaccinated because we want to get back to normal life,” says Karina Barde. He thinks of some of his unvaccinated friends who now want to drive a car rather than fly a plane from the United States
Photo by Pascal Ratte, Special Collaboration
Kareena and Mark Barde get ready to see Vancouver.
For Anis Kafidi, who flew to Germany on Saturday, all the steps related to the vaccine were complicated and the arrangement of his trip was a headache. “Vaccine passport, we no longer have a choice,” he observes. If we have it, we are free, and if it is not, we can not do much. For a young person, vaccination should be a personal matter. “We are, [les personnes vaccinées], We can still send it [la COVID-19]. So those who do not have a vaccine passport, they put their lives on the line, ”he believes.
Photo by Pascal Ratte, Special Collaboration
Anis Kafidi
Vaccination delay
Foreign nationals are also given the opportunity to board a flight until February 28 to leave Canada, even if they have not been vaccinated. However, these passengers must submit a negative molecular test for Covit-19 before boarding the aircraft. To benefit from this exception to the rule, they must also have entered Canada before October 30th.
From November 30, those traveling by train, plane or cruise ship in Canada will have to prove that they have been vaccinated against Govt-19.
For Margaret Hebert, an American who came with her family from Florida, one thing is for sure, the actions deserve to be clear. “We were very impressed with the Govt-19 control at the airport! », He insists.
With the Canadian Press
