Canada scraps COVID-19 advisory to avoid unnecessary foreign travel

FILE PHOTO: Healthcare workers prepare to test passengers before they arrive at Toronto's Pearson airport after mandatory coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing took effect for international arrivals in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada February 15, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada has scrapped an official advisory urging its citizens to shun non-essential foreign travel, dropping a warning that was issued in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic erupted.

The Canadian government, however, is still telling people to avoid cruise ship travel outside of the country.

In an update to its travel advisory page posted late on Thursday, Ottawa removed the advice to avoid unnecessary travel and reverted to its usual practice of issuing notices for individual countries.

"Community transmission of COVID-19 continues in many countries. You should be fully vaccinated by completing a COVID-19 vaccine series in Canada or abroad at least 14 days before traveling," it said.

The federal health ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

According to official data, just under 82% of eligible Canadians had been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct 8. Federal officials are due to brief media on the fight against the pandemic at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT).

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Paul Simao)