Air Canada calls on Ottawa to ease 14-day quarantine rules

Air Canada is calling on the federal government to ease restrictions that force travellers to quarantine for two weeks upon arriving in Canada. The airline released a letter Wednesday addressed to Transport Minister Marc Garneau and Health Minister Patty Hajdu, urging the government to “consider a science-based approach” to easing travel restrictions prescribed under the Quarantine Act. Last month, the federal government extended the emergency order that outlines mandatory quarantine rules for all travellers entering Canada until Aug. 31. Under the Quarantine Act, anyone entering Canada by air, land or sea will be required to isolate for 14 days if they have COVID-19 or suspect they do. Those without signs or symptoms of the virus will have to quarantine for 14 days. Air Canada’s chief medical officer Dr Jim Chung said the government should replace the quarantine restrictions “with more proportionate, evidence-based measures that can achieve public health objectives, while causing less detriment to other public interests and allowing for a measured restart of aviation, similar to what is occurring in other countries.” Story has more.<br/>