Fully vaccinated travelers are subject to a number of federal rules when returning home, which are enforced by emergency orders under the Quarantine Act. These include using a well-made mask in public, which is valid even if local mask commands do not apply, maintaining a contact list 14 days after entering the country, and being isolated for 10 days if a traveler tests positive — more and if the province requires a shorter period. Several travelers told CTV News Toronto that they were unaware of the mask usage rule upon entry. Most said that after learning this, they intended to continue wearing the mask in public for the next 14 days of their time in Canada. The demand caught the attention of some when Ontario Health Officer Dr. Kieran Moore spoke about it in a press conference on Monday. “Continue to respect current mask requirements that remain in place,” he said. “As well as the federal requirement for all international travelers.” The federal government has said that the 14-day mask rule in public places applies to all travelers – by air or by land – even if it is just a day trip. Dr Alon Vaisman, an infection and infection control physician at the Univeristy Health Network, said that while it is not easily enforceable, the mandate is probably a key level of protection for all Canadians. “I think it probably makes little difference whether people traveling back to Canada are covered or not, the vast majority of Covids here in Ontario are not travel-related, but come from interpersonal transmission,” Vaisman said. He said he thought it was difficult to set rules for different countries at different times of the year as the pandemic changed. Vaisman said the mask still makes sense whether one has traveled or not, and it is a good idea for people in general to think about the risk they face when covering. Consider ventilation, the workplace, family members and people with immunosuppression, he said.
