COVID-19: Travellers should have proof of vaccination, poll suggests; Ontario reports 127 cases
Author of the article:
Joanne Laucius
Files: International travellers at Toronto’s Pearson Airport Photo by Peter J. Thompson /Postmedia
A majority of Canadians believe proof of vaccination should be required of all essential and non-essential travellers, a new poll suggests.
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Fifty-eight per cent of respondents to an online survey by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies said travellers should be required to show a document that proves they are immunized. Some 30 per cent said a “vaccine passport” is not necessary.
The online poll of 1,529 adult Canadians was carried out July 16 to 18. It can’t be assigned a margin of error because internet-based surveys are not considered random samples.
Federal officials announced Monday that fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents will be allowed into Canada as of Aug. 9, joined by the rest of the world on Sept. 7.
All travellers will still be required to submit a negative COVID-19 test result and proof of vaccination prior to arrival by way of the ArriveCAN smartphone app or web portal, but post-travel test results will no longer be necessary.
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The Leger poll found 48 per cent of respondents support the total reopening of the Canada-U.S. border at the end of August, including to tourists, while 52 per cent said they oppose it.
Leger executive vice-president Christian Bourque said Canadians are divided — and that gives some flexibility to the government when making decisions.
About two-thirds of poll respondents said fully vaccinated people should get more freedoms than those who are not vaccinated against COVID-19. Some 69 per cent of poll respondents said they are fully vaccinated.
“In fact, people who are vaccinated say they deserve greater freedoms compared to those who are not, or who are not yet fully vaccinated,” said Bourque.
Latest COVID-19 news in Ontario, Ottawa
Ontario reported 127 new confirmed COViD-19 cases on Tuesday and two new deaths.
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This is the 12th consecutive day in a row in which COVID cases numbers in the province have remained below 200.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 548,474 confirmed cases and 9,296 deaths.
Across the province, 145 were in hospital being treated for COVID-19, an increase of 30 compared to numbers released Monday, and 98 people are in ICU on a ventilator, an increase of four. Ontario Public Health statistics of ICU hospitalizations and ventilator cases contain some patients who no longer test positive for COVID-19 but who are being treated for conditions caused by the virus.
There are 34 new confirmed cases in Toronto, 17 in the Waterloo region, 14 in the York region, 10 in the Peel region, 10 in Grey Bruce and 10 in the Halton region.
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There were no new cases reported in the four health units surrounding Ottawa.
Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott announced Tuesday morning that more than eight million residents are now fully vaccinated, more than half of the province’s population.
Meanwhile, a pop-up vaccination clinic for children and youth between the ages of 12 and 17 and their families will be held for four days from Monday, July 26 to Thursday, July 29, CHEO announced on Tuesday.
The first-come-first-served clinic will be held between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. at the University of Ottawa Minto Sports Complex, 801 King Edward Ave., Parking is free and the site is accessible by OC Transpo.
Vaccinations will be provided by CHEO and the Kids Come First Health Team, including Roger Neilson House, community pediatricians and family physicians.
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Support will be available onsite for those with special or medically complex care needs and for those with needle phobias or on the autism spectrum.
More than 80 per cent of Ottawa residents between 12 to 17 have already received one dose. Ottawa Public Health estimates 24,000 children in this age group will be eligible for a second dose before returning to school this fall. First doses are also available at the pop-up clinic.
Any adults who accompany youth to the clinic can also receive a vaccine, but children and youth between 12 to 17 years old are the focus. No appointment is necessary. People will be offered appointment cards onsite.
Ottawa Public Health reported two new confirmed cases and no new deaths on Tuesday.
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Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 27,745 confirmed cases and 593 deaths in Ottawa.
There are currently 24 active cases in the city, but no one is being treated in hospital or ICU.
In closely watched indicators, the rolling seven-day average of cases per 100,000 people is 1.7, while the per cent positivity in testing is 0.1. The estimated reproductive number, R(t), is 0.90. A number lower than one indicates the virus is receding.
Latest COVID-19 news in Quebec
Quebec has recorded 76 new cases of COVID-19. There were no new deaths reported.
No new deaths were reported.
Quebec has reported 376,416 cases and 11,236 deaths linked to COVID-19.
Hospitalizations dropped by one case to 77, while 21 patients remain in ICU, a drop of two.
The province reported 82,153 additional vaccine doses were administered over the previous 24 hours. The province said 54 per cent of Quebecers 12 and older are fully vaccinated
-With files from Postmedia and The Canadian Press
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