Trudeau Just Explained Why Fully Vaccinated Americans Can't Come To Canada Just Yet
But travel restrictions have eased in Canada for fully vaccinated Canadians.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has responded to questions about why fully vaccinated Americans are still unable to cross the border into Canada.
Speaking on June 22 — one day after Canada announced new travel measures for eligible Canadian travellers — he explained why the new rules won't apply to visitors from overseas.
A reporter said to the PM on Tuesday, "Please, point to the science that says a fully vaccinated American is a greater public health risk than a fully vaccinated Canadian."
Trudeau acknowledged that the rules may appear confusing, as being fully vaccinated is "highly effective" in preventing an individual from becoming sick or hospitalized.
"The issue is that being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 only protects you from the worst impacts," he said. "It does not necessarily protect you from transmitting COVID-19 to someone who is partially or not vaccinated."
He went on to explain that the government's decision to restart international travel in a phased approach is "the right and responsible one."
The Liberal leader concluded by adding, "We know we want to get there as quickly as possible, but it's more important to get there as quickly as is safe and responsible."
The Canada-U.S. border remains closed to all non-essential travel until at least July 21, 2021.