Canada to provide Covid swab testing at US border

Canada will conduct mandatory swab tests at more than 100 land crossings on its border with the United States starting Monday, Ottawa said, as concerns about the spread of new coronavirus variants grow.

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Canada-U.S. Border set to remain closed until March 21

“Travelers entering Canada at land borders, unless exempted, will be required to be tested using a self-swab kit,” a statement from the Public Health Agency of Canada said on Saturday. Canada.

“This test can be done either at the traveler’s quarantine location or at a border test site.”

The border is currently closed to all travel except essential travel, a policy that is expected to last until March 21 after being extended on Friday.

Travelers entering Canada, unless exempted, must undergo two Covid-19 tests, one on the first day of arrival and one later in their 14-day quarantine period.

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FOLLOWING

Starting Monday, air passengers arriving in Canada will be required to undergo a three-day hotel quarantine at their own expense pending the results of a coronavirus test.

Canadian media reported that the telephone reservation system for government-approved hotels suffered long delays on Saturday.

The country’s chief public health officer, Theresa Tam, on Friday stressed the danger that a growing number of variants of the coronavirus posed to Canadians, stressing the need for continued vigilance in the face of the pandemic.

Canada has listed more than 840,000 cases of Covid-19 on Saturday since the start of the pandemic, with more than 21,000 deaths.