加拿大联邦政府有一项监控计划，与各省及地区一同寻查加拿大新的COVID-19各种病毒变异，例如在英国和南非发现的变异。
早期数据表明这些新的变异可能更具传播力，但迄今为止，尚无证据表明这些变异体会导致更严重的病症或对抗体反应产生任何影响。尚需要更多的研究来证实这些发现，加拿大和全球的医学、公共卫生和研究界正在积极评估这些基因突变。
加拿大公共卫生署（PHAC）的国家微生物实验室通过持续分析加拿大基因组数据库，与各省和地区共同监控在加拿大的COVID-19病例。通过此项持续进行的全国性监控计划，有两例在英国观察到的变异病例已在安大略省发现。
随着这一监控行动的继续，预计在加拿大可能会发现这种变异和其他令人关注之变异的其他病例。此外，由于这两例情况并未到加拿大境外旅行，因此至关重要的是需要遵守公共卫生措施、并限制与他人的接触，这样才能减少这种病毒及其任何变异在社区中传播的机会。防止感染COVID-19的任何变异体的最好方法，就是遵循公共卫生措施。
为了降低这种病毒及其任何变异体的输入风险，加拿大从2020年3月开始实行旅行限制和边境措施，包括强制性的隔离。这些严格的隔离措施是世界上最严格的措施之一。在加拿大查到的所有病例中，来自在加拿大境外旅行的人不到2％。
- 相关阅读：加拿大（COVID-19）流行病学更新
所有旅客在入境加拿大时必须向检疫官提交隔离计划，而计划不充分的旅客则将被送到联邦检疫隔离机构。 加拿大公共卫生署PHAC会监控旅行者对隔离的遵守情况，并在14天的隔离期间使用执法人员来验证其遵守情况。不遵守隔离要求的个人将面临最高75万加元的罚款或六个月的监禁。
12月20日，出于对英国发现COVID-19变异的关注，加拿大政府还宣布了暂停来自英国所有航班72小时的决定，随后又将此延长至1月6日夜晚11时59分。从宣布之日起，旅客将被问及进一步的健康筛查问题，以帮助确定他们在抵达加拿大入境口岸之前的14天内，是否曾经旅行去过因出现这些变异而令人关注的国家。
所有旅客须将其隔离计划交检疫官员审核，如果不合适，将被要求在联邦检疫隔离中心进行隔离。提醒所有在12月20日之前从令人关注国家抵达加拿大的旅客必须完成他们的整个隔离期，还须要接受检测（即便症状轻微），并向当地评估中心报告其旅行历史。
加拿大联邦政府继续提醒加拿大人不要前往其他国家进行任何非必要旅行，如果必须前往英国或南非旅行时务必要采取格外慎重。世界各国的相关限制在迅速变化，并有可能在未经多少提前警告之下就宣布实施，从而破坏个人的旅行计划。如果有人选择在加拿大境外进行非必要的旅行，则有可能被迫在加拿大境外停留比预期更长的时间。
- 相关阅读：旅行健康须知
Statement on the variants of COVID-19 virus found in Ontario
From: Public Health Agency of Canada
Statement
December 26, 2020 Ottawa, ON Public Health Agency of Canada
The Government of Canada has a monitoring program in place with the provinces and territories to identify new COVID-19 variants in Canada, such as the ones identified in the United Kingdom and South Africa.
While early data suggests that these new variants may be more transmissible, to date there is no evidence that they cause more severe disease or have any impact on antibody response or vaccine effectiveness. More research is required to confirm these findings and the Canadian and global medical, public health and research communities are actively evaluating these mutations.
The Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC) National Microbiology Laboratory monitors Canadian cases of COVID-19 with the provinces and territories through ongoing analysis of genomic databases in Canada. Through this ongoing national monitoring, two confirmed cases have been identified in Ontario of the variant observed in the United Kingdom.
As the monitoring continues, it is expected that other cases of this variant and other variants of concern may be found in Canada. Furthermore, as these two cases did not travel outside of Canada, it is important to follow public health measures and limit contacts with others, to reduce the transmission of the virus and any of its variants in communities. The best way to prevent infection with any variant of COVID-19 is to follow public health measures.
To reduce the risk of importation of the virus and any of its variants, Canada has had travel restrictions and border measures in place since March 2020, including mandatory quarantine. These rigorous quarantine measures are among some of the strongest in the world. Under 2% of all cases reported in Canada are from those who travelled outside of Canada.
All travellers must present their quarantine plan to the Quarantine Officer at the point of entry to Canada, and those with an inadequate plan are directed to a federal quarantine facility. PHAC monitors travellers’ compliance with quarantine and uses law enforcement officers to verify compliance during the 14-day quarantine. Individuals who are not complying with the quarantine requirements can face fines of up to $750,000 or six months in prison.
On December 20, in response to concerns about the UK COVID-19 variant, the Government of Canada also suspended all flights from the United Kingdom for 72 hours, subsequently extended until January 6, at 11:59pm. Travellers are since being asked additional health screening questions to help identify if their travel itinerary included a country of concern reporting this variant in the last 14 days prior to appearing at a Canadian port of entry.
All travellers will have their quarantine plan reviewed by a Quarantine Officer, and if not suitable, will be asked to quarantine in a federal quarantine centre. Travellers who arrived in Canada from a country of concern prior to December 20 are reminded to complete their full quarantine period, and to get tested even if symptoms are mild and report their travel history to local assessment centres.
The Government of Canada continues to advise against non-essential travel to other countries and are advising extra caution if you must travel to the United Kingdom or South Africa. Restrictions are changing quickly and may be imposed by countries with little warning, disrupting travel plans. Should individuals choose to take non-essential travel outside Canada, they may be forced to remain outside of Canada longer than expected.
Contacts
Media Relations
Health Canada
613-957-2983
hc.media.sc@canada.ca
