Frustration arises over new travel rules related to COVID-19 | The Canadian News

About a week after Tope Akindele returned to Edmonton from Nigeria, the Canadian government introduced a long list of new COVID-19 travel restrictions.

“I don’t think it was thought through,” Akindele said.

It returned to Canada on November 22 and eight days later, Ottawa announced a strict set of rules for travelers from 10 African countries where the Omicron variant was first identified.

Foreign nationals who have been in these countries in the last 14 days cannot enter Canada and any Canadian traveling home from these countries will need to be screened at the airport and quarantined while awaiting their results.

“Some people were randomly selected to be tested. When we arrived, I was not. We were not randomly selected, ”Akindele explained.

Akindele brought her mother to Canada. When the couple arrived in Calgary before connecting to Edmonton, they were told the quarantine was not necessary.

“Upon returning, I resumed work. I’ve been working from home, I don’t need to go anywhere, ”he said.

But days later, he said Health Canada called him to tell him he must self-quarantine.

“I said ‘no’, at the time I returned I was not obliged to quarantine myself, but anyway, I have been home,” he explained.

Health Canada also directed you to get a COVID test, which must be booked through 811.

Akindele says he couldn’t get through. He doesn’t drive either.

Just to add to the stress, he says a security guard showed up at his door to make sure he was home and that he had booked a test.

“The guy hit the door so aggressively. I was like, who does that? Who is it? “Akindele said.

“In my head, I was like, why send (security) when you could have sent someone to come get a swab? Same trip “.

The new rules, particularly around testing, have created a lot of confusion and frustration.

Travel agent Lesley Paull said she’s answering a lot of questions, but her clients aren’t canceling their trips.

“Many people are tired. They want to go, they get vaccinated two or three times and they leave, ”said Paull.

What’s more, what is this variant going to do in the future? Is it going to be something or not?

Paull said that ultimately it’s just a matter of getting another PCR test on arrival.

“You are not paying for that, it is just the inconvenience of having another test and waiting for the results,” he said.

“I think it is still massive confusion that is the biggest problem with all of this.”

As for Akindele, he believes that at this point in the pandemic the system must improve.

“It is a bit stressful to travel during this COVID period and that is why I understand when they say not to travel if it is not essential,” he said.

Health Canada said it will be a few days before all specific travelers are screened, but it is increasing capacity rapidly and testing more and more travelers each day.

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