Canada extends U.K. flight ban 2 more weeks amid COVID-19 mutations

Canada will extend its ban on flights from the United Kingdom another two weeks in order to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus strain, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Wednesday.

The measure, which was first announced Sunday, was initially set to expire in 72 hours.

Speaking at a media conference Wednesday, Trudeau said the ban is now extended until Jan. 6, 2021.

“In addition to the significant measures we already have in place, we acted quickly on additional travel restrictions in response to the situation in the United Kingdom,” Trudeau said.

“Our government temporarily suspended all commercial and passenger flights from the U.K. to Canada. Today I can announce that we will extend this temporary suspension of passenger flights … for another two weeks so we can prevent this new variant of COVID-19 of spreading to Canada,” he said.

Canada is one of several countries to ban travel from the U.K. due to the new strain of the virus, which British officials said appears to be 70 per cent more transmissible.

There is no current evidence to suggest the new strain is more deadly or that it affects vaccines and treatments, health officials previously said.

1:56 Canada bans flights to and from the U.K.

Enhanced screening has been put in place at all Canadian airports and at all points of entry for travellers who may be arriving from the U.K. indirectly.

In the event someone has entered Canada indirectly, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said they are referred to the Public Health Agency of Canada at both land and airports of entry.

The mutation found in the U.K. had not yet been identified in Canada as of Tuesday.

Dr. Theresa Tam said the Public Health Agency of Canada was “still looking,” and will be conducting more testing and genomic sequencing on known cases of the strain in the coming days.

“It wouldn’t surprise me that this variant is in many different countries,” she said Tuesday, adding that “it may become one of the more common strains.”

In all probability, Tam said the new strain will likely eventually make its way to Canada, however, there are several variables that are helping slow it down.

A second strain first identified in South Africa, which is also said to transit more easily, has also now been discovered in the U.K.

5:58 New strain of the coronavirus found in the U.K.

— With files from Global News’ Emerald Bensadoun