• Justin Trudeau, Canada's Prime Minister, puts on a protective mask after a news conference in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on 25 September. David Kawai/Bloomberg
    Justin Trudeau, Canada's Prime Minister, puts on a protective mask after a news conference in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on 25 September. David Kawai/Bloomberg
  • A healthcare worker poses for a photograph while walking towards a line of patients waiting outside a Covid-19 testing centre at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on September 19. Cole Burston/Bloomberg
    A healthcare worker poses for a photograph while walking towards a line of patients waiting outside a Covid-19 testing centre at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on September 19. Cole Burston/Bloomberg
  • A bartender talks to a patron at Lemeac restaurant on the first day after the coronavirus restrictions were lifted to visit restaurants in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on June 22. Christinne Muschi/ Reuters
    A bartender talks to a patron at Lemeac restaurant on the first day after the coronavirus restrictions were lifted to visit restaurants in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on June 22. Christinne Muschi/ Reuters
  • A boy plays on a phone as he waits in line for hours at a Covid-19 assessment centre at Mount Sinai Hospital during in Toronto on 24 September. Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP
    A boy plays on a phone as he waits in line for hours at a Covid-19 assessment centre at Mount Sinai Hospital during in Toronto on 24 September. Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP
  • People queue up outside a Covid-19 testing centre at Women's College Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on September 18. Cole Burston/Bloomberg
    People queue up outside a Covid-19 testing centre at Women's College Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on September 18. Cole Burston/Bloomberg
  • A woman at a park in the Montreal financial district on 28 September 28. Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP
    A woman at a park in the Montreal financial district on 28 September 28. Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP
  • A pedestrian in Old Montreal, on 28 September. Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP
    A pedestrian in Old Montreal, on 28 September. Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP
  • A woman wears a face mask as she walks by a sign advising of the mandatory wearing of masks and face coverings in Montreal, on 21 September. Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP
    A woman wears a face mask as she walks by a sign advising of the mandatory wearing of masks and face coverings in Montreal, on 21 September. Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP
  • Chairs stacked outside a bistro as the Quebec government has ordered all restaurants, bars and casinos to close for 28 days effective midnight September 30 as Covid-19 numbers continue to rise in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 29 September. Christinne Muschi / Reuters
    Chairs stacked outside a bistro as the Quebec government has ordered all restaurants, bars and casinos to close for 28 days effective midnight September 30 as Covid-19 numbers continue to rise in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 29 September. Christinne Muschi / Reuters

Travel from the UAE to Canada could become possible as restrictions set to ease


Patrick Ryan
  • English
  • Arabic

Read also: Our holiday checklist for flying in and out of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and UAE

UAE residents hoping to travel to Canada were given a glimmer of hope after it was reported the country’s prime minister Justin Trudeau was about to ease restrictions on entering the country.

The Canadian government is putting plans in place to relax the current 14-day isolation period for travellers who have received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, Bloomberg has reported.

The plan, which is expected to be announced in the coming days, comes after the US and Canadian governments came under pressure to ease restrictions on movement between the two countries.

The Canadian government's website currently warns all foreign visitors, including those from the US, that they can only visit the country if they have a compelling reason.

Those who do, are required to quarantine for a minimum of 14 days, with three of those days in a government-authorised hotel at their own cost.

Furthermore, all travellers over the age of five, must have a negative Covid-19 test result within 72 hours of entering Canada, and they must also test on arrival.

There are no exemptions for those who have been vaccinated at the moment.

Under the new plans travellers entering Canada are still likely to be tested for Covid-19 and could also be required to isolate, but for a shorter time than the current two week period.

Bloomberg also said it was not clear if Canada would open its borders to non-US travellers at the same time.

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Scores

Scotland 54-17 Fiji
England 15-16 New Zealand