Canada Lifts Travel Ban on South Africa, Omicron Varient Ignores Border Control
- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has agreed to lift the travel ban that was imposed on South Africa
- The travel restrictions have proved to be ineffective at stopping the spread of the new more contagious variant of Covid 19
- Canada will reintroduce testing measures to identify and quarantine infected travellers
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TORONTO - Following intense criticism, the Canadian government has decided to lift the travel ban imposed on South Africa and nine other African countries.
Following the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, it was clear that the travel bans had done little to stop the virus.
Source: Getty Images
The Delta variant will soon be replaced by the more infectious Omicron strain of Covid 19.
Testing requirements will be reintroduced to help identify infected travellers in a bid to take pressure off the healthcare system according to EWN.
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US farmers say SA workers should be exempt from travel ban, labour needed
WASHINGTON DC - US-based agricultural stakeholders have urged their government to provide South African farmworkers with an exemption from the travel restrictions placed on travellers from southern Africa.
The US has a growing demand for farmworkers from South Africa, with an estimated 7000 arriving annually. They use the H-2A guest worker visa programme, which was created to meet the labour shortage in the agricultural sector.
According to Business Insider, US farmers feel that the travel ban makes it difficult for them to plan their growing season, which starts next month. They expressed their views in a letter sent to President Joe Biden.
UK asked by Dirco for compensation, South Africa off the red list
Earlier Briefly News reported that the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) has requested that the United Kingdom (UK) pay South Africa back for the financial damage the country has sustained due to the UK imposing a travel ban shortly after the Omicron variant was discovered.
In November South African scientists discovered the Omicron variant. After the discovery was announced, the UK implemented a travel ban on several southern African countries, including South Africa. Many other countries followed suit and also banned travel from the region.
Antony Phillipson, the British High Commissioner to South Africa, has stated that he recognises the damage caused by the UK placing a travel ban on South Africa.
Source: Briefly News
