Canada’s Prime Minister stresses that having people quarantine in a hotel after crossing the border into Canada by air is not a punishment. Justin Trudeau says it’s to keep Canadians safe, and with the new variants of COVID-19 being more transmissible , he believes these measures are event more integral.

He explains that once a negative test result is confirmed, the traveller can head home to quarantine, but if they don’t have the ability to do so because there isn’t enough room to separate themselves from others in their home, they will be directed to a federal facility. Trudeau says the decision to not use rapid testing at the border is because it’s not as accurate. The hotel quarantine requirement begins February 22nd.

For those crossing the border by land, as of Monday, you will have to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within the last 72 hours and will then have to provide a second test towards the end of your quarantine at home. With the travel restrictions, the Prime Minister says, if there are medical or humanitarian reasons, they will be taken into consideration on a case by case basis.

As for the amount of vaccines coming in,  Trudeau says Pfizer has guaranteed Canada will be receiving the 4-million doses committed to by the end of March. Another 10.8-million doses of Pfizer vaccine will be delivered between April and June and all 40-million promised doses will have arrived by the end of September. Canada has also procured 4-million additional Moderna doses.