Canada quietly lifts blanket travel advisory related to COVID-19

Canada has quietly lifted a blanket advisory against all non-essential travel outside the country which had been in place since the pandemic was declared in March 2020.

Under the previous guidelines, the government advised all travellers, regardless of vaccination status, toavoid non-essential international travel.

The advisories for each country have now reverted to the four levelsthat existed prior tothe pandemic:

• Exercise normal security precautions.
• Exercise a high degree of caution.
• Avoid non-essential travel.
• Avoid all travel.

The new advisoriescan be found on the government's Travel Advice and Advisory website. A blanket advisory against all cruise travel remains in place.

In a statement, thePublic Health Agency of Canada saidCanadians should be fully vaccinated before they travel andurged travellers to follow public health measures at their destination.

It also urged Canadians totakepersonal protective measures when abroad,such aswearing a mask, washing their hands and maintaining physical distancing where possible.

Canadians abroad canstay informed of COVID-19 activity at their destination by consulting the World Health Organization website, the agency said.

Global Affairs Canada wasnot immediately available for comment.

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