The federal government is lifting its widely criticized travel ban on 10 African countries, including Egypt, and reimposing its requirement for Canadians taking short trips abroad to get a COVID-19 test before returning to Canada, local media reported.

The 10-country travel ban was brought in when the Omicron variant was first identified but kept in place even after community spread started domestically.

Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos announced the ban would be lifted effective December 18 at 11:59 pm ET.

At the same time Canada is bringing back its requirement for Canadians and permanent residents who travel abroad for less than 72 hours to get a negative COVID-19 test before returning to Canada. That rule was dropped in November amid pushback from business, tourism, and travel groups.

Mr. Duclos said the pre-entry testing requirement will take effect on December 21 and travellers must take the test in a country other than Canada.

Canada first imposed the travel restriction on travellers from seven African countries on Nov. 26 and then expanded it to 10 countries on Nov. 30 – South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Namibia, Nigeria, Malawi and Egypt.

“While we recognize the controversial nature of such a prohibition, we believe it was a necessary measure to slow the arrival of Omicron in Canada,” Duclos said at a news conference in Ottawa.

“Given the current situation, this measure has served its purpose and is no longer needed.”

The federal government had also required travellers who are allowed to still enter Canada from those countries to get a negative COVID-19 test in a third country before boarding – which travellers say has made getting to Canada next to impossible. Over the weekend, the government suspended that requirement for South Africa.

Last week, The Globe reported that Canada was the only country among Group of Seven nations that had the additional third-country test requirement as part of its travel bans.

Source: State Information Service Egypt