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Alberta to pilot COVID-19 testing at border that would shorten quarantine time

Alberta to pilot COVID-19 testing at border that would shorten quarantine time-Milenio Stadium-Canada
Canadian border guards are silhouetted during a shift change at a crossing on the Canada-U.S. border. Ottawa and Alberta are launching a COVID-19 coronavirus testing pilot for international travelers at the Calgary Airport and the Coutts Border Crossing to cut quarantine times for travelers. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press)

 

Travellers entering Canada by land or air through Alberta will soon have the option of being tested for COVID-19 at the border in a move that could shorten quarantine times— in a pilot project that’s the first of its kind in Canada, Premier Jason Kenney announced Thursday.

The mandatory quarantine period for returning international travellers will be maintained for now. But the 14-day day self-isolation period could be shortened to about 48 hours if a traveller receives a negative COVID-19 test result.

“We simply must move forward to develop policies to facilitate safe travel,” Kenney said during a news conference Thursday, calling it an important day.

“Though a lot of work lies ahead, we can see a return to normal travel.”

News of the pilot project comes a day after Alberta broke two COVID-19 records, for the most new cases in a single day, 406, and for the most active cases. Kenney was speaking from his home in Edmonton, where he is in self-isolation after one of his government ministers tested positive for COVID-19 a day earlier. Kenney tested negative Wednesday night but said he’d continue with the isolation period until Oct. 29.

The voluntary screening option announced Thursday is a joint pilot project between the Province of Alberta and the Government of Canada.

It will be available for foreign essential workers — truckers, health care and other workers who are exempt from the current federal travel ban — and any Canadian citizens returning to the country through Alberta.

Starting Nov. 2, the new COVID-19 testing option will be offered at the Coutts land border crossing in southern Alberta and the Calgary International Airport.

Travellers who test negative must commit to 2nd test

If the test comes back negative, travellers will be allowed to leave their place of quarantine as long as they commit to getting a second test on day six or seven after arrival, at a community pharmacy participating in the pilot program, the province said.

Participants will be closely monitored through daily symptoms checks and be required to follow enhanced preventive health measures, such as wearing masks in public places and avoiding visiting high-risk groups.

All travellers who chose not to participate in the pilot will have abide by the normal 14-day quarantine.

Could expand to Edmonton airport in new year

Kenney said if the traveller pilot project goes well, it will be expanded to the airport in Edmonton early in the new year.

“YYC Calgary International Airport is proud to be the only airport in Canada to have a government-approved testing pilot for arriving international passengers —which we hope will lead to reducing and one day eliminating the current 14-day self-isolation requirements,” Calgary Airport Authority president Bob Sartor said in a release.

“This innovative science-based testing is the lifeline our airport and airline partners need to instill confidence in air travel.”

Alberta breaks single-day COVID-19 records

Alberta hit a new record for the most new cases in a single day on Wednesday, at 406, and for the most active cases.

The previous single-day record for reported new cases was 356, on Oct.18. During the first wave of the pandemic, the province hit 351 new cases on April 23.

There were 3,372 active cases in the province on Wednesday. The previous record was set Tuesday, with 3,203.

The government announced that Municipal Affairs Minister Tracy Allard tested positive on Wednesday afternoon and was experiencing mild symptoms.

Apart from Kenney, Transportation Minister Ric McIver and United Conservative Party MLAs Angela Pitt, Peter Guthrie and Nathan Neudorff are also self-isolating because they had interactions with Allard last week, the statement said, though they are not showing symptoms.

Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, is expected to give the latest provincial COVID-19 update at 3:30 p.m. MT Thursday and CBC News will carry it live.

CBC

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