Feds Say They Will 'Consider Further Changes' To Pre-Entry COVID-19 Testing At The Border

The federal government says it will "consider further changes" to Canada's travel restrictions following yet another update to the rules.

On Friday, November 19, officials announced several changes to the ongoing restrictions at Canada's borders. This included scrapping testing requirements for short trips as of November 30, as well as updating the list of COVID-19 vaccines approved for entry into Canada.

On the same day, the Government of Canada also committed to continuing to "make appropriate adjustments to border measures."

In a statement, officials promised to "consider further changes to the pre-entry test requirement for vaccinated Americans and others in subsequent phases."

Since the United States fully reopened its borders to non-essential travel on November 8, Justin Trudeau's government has been facing pressure to update Canada's border rules to "harmonize with U.S. regulations."

Industry leaders, as well as opposition parties, have called on them to reconsider expensive PCR testing in exchange for rapid antigen tests, which are cheaper and often easier to come by.

While further details related to PCR testing have not been shared at this time, the feds say they have started "looking into next steps in reopening additional Canadian airports to receive international passenger flights."

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.