OTTAWA, Nov 20 — Travelers who are fully vaccinated with the shots from Sinopharm, Sinovac, and Covaxin will be allowed to enter Canada starting November 30, Xinhua news agency reported the Canadian government announced on Friday.
Currently, Canada only accepts travelers who have received the vaccines including Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.
Also starting November 30, people leaving Canada by land or by air for less than 72 hours will no longer be required to provide proof of a negative molecular test to re-enter the country, it said.
This change applies only to Canadians, permanent residents and individuals registered under the Indian Act, as well as accompanying children under 12, and individuals with medical contraindications to vaccination.
Additionally, starting January 15, 2022, certain groups of travelers who are currently exempt from entry requirements will only be allowed to enter Canada if they are fully vaccinated, the report said.
Those groups include individuals travelling to reunite with family, international students, professional and amateur athletes, individuals with a valid work permit and other essential service workers including truck drivers.
"With more Canadians getting vaccinated every day, we can move forward cautiously toward a more open border economy and society," said Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos. "At the same time, we can't let our guard down."
To date, the country has reported a total of 1,762,434 cases with 29,481 deaths, according to the Canadian government.
— Bernama
