Travellers at YVR feel lucky after flight out of Hong Kong before COVID test rules | 24CA News

Travellers arriving in Vancouver from Hong Kong stated they had been relieved to be among the many final arrivals earlier than Canada’s new COVID-19 testing necessities took impact, together with one lady who modified her flight to keep away from the foundations.

Starting Thursday, from 12:01 a.m. jap time, Canada would require travellers from China, Hong Kong or Macau to offer proof of a detrimental PCR or antigen check inside two days of departure.

The new measure, in place for 30 days, is a response to a surge within the virus in China and the restricted epidemiological and different information out there, the Public Health Agency of Canada introduced Saturday.

Penny Tao was aboard a Cathay Pacific flight that touched down round 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Another Cathay flight was delayed and anticipated to reach at 9:02 p.m. native time, simply after the foundations had been to take impact.

Tao stated she was planning to go to Canada for Chinese New Year, which happens on Jan. 22, however when she grew to become conscious of the upcoming testing guidelines, she switched to an earlier flight. She stated her schedule was too busy to rearrange a check.

“I don’t have enough time because the new year is coming up,” stated Tao, who’s planning to tour Vancouver and elsewhere with a longtime buddy for the subsequent couple of months.

2:07
Medical neighborhood questions function of China-specific COVID-19 journey measures

Another passenger on the flight stated he felt fortunate to have the ability to return to Vancouver with out offering check outcomes.

The Canadian citizen, who’s returning after greater than 20 years working in Hong Kong, requested to not be recognized on security grounds, saying he in any other case felt uncomfortable taking concerning the scenario in China and Hong Kong. He stated the COVID-19 scenario was not as extreme in Hong Kong as mainland China, the place the sudden lifting of pandemic restrictions has led to a surge in instances.

“I think I am the last one to come back to Canada among my friends’ circle, most of my friends returned (to Vancouver) over two years ago. I am the last one,” stated the previous British Columbia Institute of Technology pupil.

He stated he was wanting “to having high tea and playing mah-jong together” along with his associates.

Hong Kong resident Larry Cui was carrying a detrimental COVID check simply in case he was requested to offer it. He wasn’t conscious till he arrived that he touched down earlier than the foundations had been to start.

“I didn’t know that. Actually, I did the test yesterday before getting on the plane just in case the Canadian officers here asked me,” stated Cui.

In Shanghai, Jiayuan Jin was in the meantime getting ready to fly to Vancouver and be among the many first arrivals beneath the brand new testing regime.

The Canadian resident is a third-year University of British Columbia pupil learning economics. But she has been in China for the reason that early days of the pandemic in 2020,learning remotely at UBC, after which as an alternate pupil at a college in Shanghai.

She was as a consequence of arrive in Vancouveron Jan. 7, two days earlier than the time period begins.

2:15
Travellers from China to require detrimental COVID-19 exams

Jin stated in an interview in Mandarin that she deliberate to take a PCR check earlier than boarding. She stated she was assured of testing detrimental.

She stated she supported Canada’s new testing rule as a method to hold everybody secure, and the method of getting a COVID-19 check in China was handy.

“It’s easy to book a COVID-19 test. For example, in Shanghai, I’ll bump into a COVID-19 test booth every 200 metres and within 10 hours, I could get results,” stated Jin.

“For people who feel unwell and have COVID-19, they won’t be able to enter into Canada. But people who are COVID-free can return to visit their families and continue their life here.”

The Chinese authorities has criticized the testing necessities imposed on passengers from China and threatened countermeasures towards international locations concerned, together with the U.S. and a number of other European nations.

“We believe that the entry restrictions adopted by some countries targeting China lack scientific basis, and some excessive practices are even more unacceptable,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated at a day by day briefing Tuesday.

“We are firmly opposed to attempts to manipulate the COVID measures for political purposes and will take countermeasures based on the principle of reciprocity,” she stated.

This story was produced with the monetary help of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.

-With information from The Associated Press

&copy 2023 The Canadian Press