Reports suggest that thousands of passengers were still arriving each week at the country’s airport, despite restrictions. US and international flights coming into Canada have been significantly reduced since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
US and international arrivals decreased to 99% and 97% respectively
356,673 US air travelers and 374,775 international travelers came into the country last year during the week of May 11-17, according to Canada Border Services Agency. CBS News reported that this year, there was a 99% drop in travelers from the US and a 97% decrease in international travelers. Yet 3,691 US and 10,845 international travelers still entered Canada that week.
In total, since March 23, 2020, 76,072 passengers from the US and 193,438 international travelers have arrived in Canada, the Agency revealed.
COVID-19 cases have dropped significantly
Two months ago, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that as of March 18, foreign nationals, except those from the US, were barred from entering Canada. The ban was declared when the vast majority of COVID-19 cases were deemed to be travel-related.
Later that month, an order exempted several individuals, including immediate family members of a Canadian citizen, emergency service providers, temporary foreign workers, and international students. Since then, travel-related cases of COVID-19 have dropped significantly.
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), as of Monday, 81% of all COVID-19 cases were related to community transmission. 19% of cases were either by becoming exposed while traveling or by a traveler coming to Canada. 9% of cases were those who reported having traveled outside of Canada.
All passengers arriving in Canada must complete a contact tracing form to help PHAC monitor, and impose a 14-day self-isolation/ quarantine. A C$750,000 fine and/or imprisonment for six months will be imposed if the Quarantine Act is not followed.
