About 1,400 travellers who later tested positive for COVID-19 were unwittingly released from federal isolation centres, says Blacklock’s Reporter..The Justin Trudeau government announced last February that international travellers would have to spend three nights in designated quarantine hotels, under a $225.6 million program..Public Health Agency President Iain Stewart disclosed the figure in testimony Friday at the Commons health committee when he said the 1,400 travelers initially tested negative, and then at a later date tested positive..“How many passengers arriving in Canada have tested positive for COVID-19 after leaving their mandatory three-day hotel quarantine?” asked New Democrat MP Don Davies (Vancouver Kingsway)..“The number of people who tested positive at the day eight test, the figure looks to be about 1.5%, so about 1,400 people out of about 96,000,” replied Stewart..Committee members double-checked the figure..“1400 people who have been infected?” said Conservative MP Larry Maguire (Brandon-Souris, Man.)..“I’m wondering how this can happen.”.“Is that a correct figure that you just gave us, 1,400?” asked MP Maguire. Stewart confirmed the figure..“Have any of the 297 people who have paid a $3,000 fine for failing to stay in a quarantine hotel tested positive for COVID-19?” asked Davies..“I am not aware of the medical histories of all those people,” replied Stewart..Trudeau told reporters he was confident the quarantine program was working..“We actually shut down over 95 percent of all travel to Canada,” said Trudeau on Friday..“Everyone arriving in this country needs to show up with a negative test from the last 72 hours, gets tested on arrival, goes into a strict quarantine.”.Trudeau said the “only people traveling across our border in any way right now are either permanent residents or Canadians returning home, essential workers and a limited number of exceptional cases.”.Stewart disclosed federal managers had considered whether to recommend a ban on domestic flights between provinces to curb the spread of the pandemic..“Have you prepared any advice for the government regarding potentially stopping or reducing inter-provincial flights?” asked Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner (Calgary Nose Hill)..“We have looked at different scenarios for reducing movement,” replied Stewart..“That would include providing advice potentially stopping or reducing inter-provincial flights?” repeated MP Rempel Garner..“In the range of things we have considered we certainly have thought about that,” replied Stewart..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.,dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/nobby7694
About 1,400 travellers who later tested positive for COVID-19 were unwittingly released from federal isolation centres, says Blacklock’s Reporter..The Justin Trudeau government announced last February that international travellers would have to spend three nights in designated quarantine hotels, under a $225.6 million program..Public Health Agency President Iain Stewart disclosed the figure in testimony Friday at the Commons health committee when he said the 1,400 travelers initially tested negative, and then at a later date tested positive..“How many passengers arriving in Canada have tested positive for COVID-19 after leaving their mandatory three-day hotel quarantine?” asked New Democrat MP Don Davies (Vancouver Kingsway)..“The number of people who tested positive at the day eight test, the figure looks to be about 1.5%, so about 1,400 people out of about 96,000,” replied Stewart..Committee members double-checked the figure..“1400 people who have been infected?” said Conservative MP Larry Maguire (Brandon-Souris, Man.)..“I’m wondering how this can happen.”.“Is that a correct figure that you just gave us, 1,400?” asked MP Maguire. Stewart confirmed the figure..“Have any of the 297 people who have paid a $3,000 fine for failing to stay in a quarantine hotel tested positive for COVID-19?” asked Davies..“I am not aware of the medical histories of all those people,” replied Stewart..Trudeau told reporters he was confident the quarantine program was working..“We actually shut down over 95 percent of all travel to Canada,” said Trudeau on Friday..“Everyone arriving in this country needs to show up with a negative test from the last 72 hours, gets tested on arrival, goes into a strict quarantine.”.Trudeau said the “only people traveling across our border in any way right now are either permanent residents or Canadians returning home, essential workers and a limited number of exceptional cases.”.Stewart disclosed federal managers had considered whether to recommend a ban on domestic flights between provinces to curb the spread of the pandemic..“Have you prepared any advice for the government regarding potentially stopping or reducing inter-provincial flights?” asked Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner (Calgary Nose Hill)..“We have looked at different scenarios for reducing movement,” replied Stewart..“That would include providing advice potentially stopping or reducing inter-provincial flights?” repeated MP Rempel Garner..“In the range of things we have considered we certainly have thought about that,” replied Stewart..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.,dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/nobby7694
