FlyerAl

Assuming that the vaccine incompetence will lead to more virus spread, deaths, extended lockdowns, and growing frustration. Then it's likely we could see a change in government before the end of this year and maybe see some restrictions being lifted. If we see our friends south of the border getting mass vaccinated and having more normalcy in their lives by the summer, there's no way Canadians are willing to suffer here for the next 12 months just because we're special.

Why is there so much love for the Australian quarantine hotel system anyway? It hasn't been without problems

mikeycanuk

Would anyone have predicted panic in early 2021 of covid variants leading to even greater lockdown of the populace back in April of last year? Most people thought 2021 was going to be “normal”

I’m predicting more of the same this year at least and have planned accordingly.

mountainboy

The people expressing love will never undergo quarantine, as they aren't travelling.

Instead they are going shopping.

rankourabu

Read this on the CBC today. I guess even if we wanted to test on arrival, we dont have the capacity, so it's a lot easier going after the 50 sun seekers coming each day and the few hundred dual citizens coming home.

Even with the current border restrictions, as many as 300,000 truckers and 50,000 essential workers cross the Canada-U.S. border each day.

24left

Interesting article, partly for the way it provides some examples but also for how it reminds me that every decision Canada (well, certain people) makes is purely reactive, plus some punishment for good measure.

(I don't have an opinion as to whether Canadians or anyone else should travel or fly. It's not up to me to decide what is best for others.)


CBC News - Posted: Jan 24, 2021 6:00 PM ET

What the science says on travel bans, and why Quebec wants one


QUOTES:

"Incoming travel is an issue, but nowhere near the most pressing one."

Note the section:
"What does the science say about whether travel bans are effective?......
"The panel found that implementing travel restrictions early in an epidemic did reduce transmission, but the researchers also concluded that "the effectiveness of these measures was short-lived," adding the caveat that the overall body of evidence remains thin."
.....A mathematical model published in The Lancet last month also found travel restrictions are only likely to be effective in certain circumstances."
......

"In that case, why shut down airports at this point?"
It's not about keeping the new, more infectious variants of the disease entirely at bay. It's about slowing down their proliferation and buying time for the health care system to absorb new patients."
......

"What about the land and sea borders?
Flights are only a small part of the problem, according to COVID Strategic Choices, a coalition of more than a 100 health care experts and workers.Even with the current border restrictions, as many as 300,000 truckers and 50,000 essential workers cross the Canada-U.S. border each day."
.......

A favorite topic on FT, the section:
How does one define 'essential' travel?


And my favourite line:

"Even if one assumes it's not legally possible to stop people from travelling altogether, governments are certainly able to make it more difficult, and more expensive."


Full article
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montr...ebec-1.5885323


Edit to add: I see rankourabu quoted from the same article

FlyerAl

In Marc Garneau's interview this morning with the prime minister's groupie Rosemary Barton, he said that the government won't rule out invoking the federal Emergencies Act to ban non-essential travel both domestic and international. So it's not about sun seekers on vacation, but more about controlling all movement.

I'm curious to know what would happen with the testing program being done at YYC? Does that suddenly get shut down altogether?

Badenoch

A $1,000 surcharge for being required to quarantine at a government facility would be a bargain. Aussies were charged $3,000AUD per person and $5,000AUD for a family of four. ($1AUD=$0.98CAD)

Not sure how it is in YYC are but in Ontario the only shopping is for essentials, often requires standing in line to get into the store, is limited to curbside in many other places and we are inundated with constant reminders to stay at home. There's no non-essential leisure shopping going on in Ontario.

Everyone gets to chose whether they travel or not. Canadians who have chosen to respect the travel advisories and not indulge in non-essential leisure travel will avoid having to scramble to get a test before returning, fret about being stranded if the test is not negative or the potential of being sent at their expense to the lowest-bidding hotel near the airport to spend two weeks in quarantine before returning home.

YYCCL3

Non-essential leisure shopping has continued to be alive and well in YYC - and daily new cases are 1/3 of what they were in early December. Combined with all of the Albertans, public servant/politician and others who fled to Mexico and Hawaii over the holidays who apparently didn't bring back a rash of new infections, what gives?

The messaging here has to been to suspend indoor gatherings with friends and family since early Dec and it seems to be working. Too bad that other levels of government and other jurisdictions can't get a clue from this evidence.

YZF_Elite

I think this is misleading. I went to Costco for groceries on Saturday morning here in Ottawa and people were fighting over the purchase of treadmills because someone put on a local facebook page they were in stock and people were scrambling. Shopping here is far from just for essentials, even if many stores are closed. I understand that in Quebec Walmart and Costco have those aisles closed off. It was that way in upstate NY when I was driving back from March Break vacation last year as well.

I agree if what you mean is the government are trying to urge people to only shop for essentials.

rankourabu

Probably a way more effective measure in containing/preventing spread than all the stupid travel rules combined......

tcook052

I wonder what percentage of the public who are so scornful of frivolous int. travel also traveled against government advisories over the holiday season?

Data analysis by marketing research firm Environics Analytics for The Globe and Mail suggests that more than a million Canadians travelled away from their home postal code over the Christmas break.

There are far bigger targets to reduce transmission than the trickle of int. flights.

mountainboy

Maybe those folk should receive a covid test before returning to their postal code, and then quarantine for 14 days?

Hmmmmm.

The Lev

Ontario has been having the most cases in the country and they have been on a steady downward trajectory since January 11th, now down over a third from their peak on the 7-day moving average. The "science" definitely shows the urgent need to ramp up restrictions further.
https://covid-19.ontario.ca/data

rankourabu

Its because all the intl travel has been reduced, clearly. duh.

zorn

My current belief, subject to change, is that the federal government is bluffing simply in order to discourage vacation travel, thereby reducing the chance of bad press.

My original vacation plans have been delayed because our flights were cancelled. We'll try again in April. Everything is always booked fully refundable. If they are cancelled again, no problem. We are, after all, in a global pandemic.

In our case we will probably both be vaccinated by then. Add a test going and another test coming back followed by two weeks in our house, I'm pretty sure we are not going to be a hazard to anyone. In our very particular cases, due to our occupations ("front line heroes" ), we will be far less of a danger the public than if were just to continue with our regularly scheduled programming.