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canada: Canada to accept Covaxin from November 30
NEW DELHI: In a big relief to travellers from India, Canada will recognise Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin from November 30, 2021. The North American country has expanded its list of WHO-approved Covid-19 that will be be accepted for travel to and within Canada from the moth-end by adding Sinopharm (also referred to as Covilo), Sinovac (also referred to as Coronavac) and the made-in-India Covaxin.
Travellers will qualify as fully vaccinated if they have received at least 2 doses of a government of Canada-accepted Covid-19 vaccine or a mix of 2 accepted vaccines, or at least 1 dose of Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine, at least 14 full days prior to entering Canada.
“Starting November 30, vaccination will be required for travel within and out of Canada. A valid Covid-19 molecular test will no longer be accepted as an alternative to vaccination unless travellers are eligible for one of the limited exemptions, such as a medical inability to be vaccinated. Travellers should contact their airline or railway company to obtain the necessary form and submit it in accordance with their carrier’s approval process as of November 30,” a Canadian government statement said on Friday (Nov 19).
A leading travel agent said given the vastly improved Covid situation in India, all eyes are now on when Canada allows direct flights from more cities here as currently only fully vaccinated travellers who get a test done at Delhi Airport lab are allowed to board direct flights from IGI Airport. And also when Canada removes the requirement of a person flying from India to Canada via a third country requiring a negative report from a Covid test done in that transit country is keenly awaited. “Once these two restrictions are removed, we can expect travel — and fares — to resume to near normalcy. Today any person eligible to travel from India to Canada has to do so via Delhi,” the travel agent said.
Travellers will qualify as fully vaccinated if they have received at least 2 doses of a government of Canada-accepted Covid-19 vaccine or a mix of 2 accepted vaccines, or at least 1 dose of Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine, at least 14 full days prior to entering Canada.
“Starting November 30, vaccination will be required for travel within and out of Canada. A valid Covid-19 molecular test will no longer be accepted as an alternative to vaccination unless travellers are eligible for one of the limited exemptions, such as a medical inability to be vaccinated. Travellers should contact their airline or railway company to obtain the necessary form and submit it in accordance with their carrier’s approval process as of November 30,” a Canadian government statement said on Friday (Nov 19).
A leading travel agent said given the vastly improved Covid situation in India, all eyes are now on when Canada allows direct flights from more cities here as currently only fully vaccinated travellers who get a test done at Delhi Airport lab are allowed to board direct flights from IGI Airport. And also when Canada removes the requirement of a person flying from India to Canada via a third country requiring a negative report from a Covid test done in that transit country is keenly awaited. “Once these two restrictions are removed, we can expect travel — and fares — to resume to near normalcy. Today any person eligible to travel from India to Canada has to do so via Delhi,” the travel agent said.
