James Skinner
James is the Founder & Chief Executive of
CANZUK International in Vancouver, Canada
Increased restrictions, lockdowns and extortionate prices for pre-departure travel tests have become a reality across Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. But after two years of dealing with COVID-19, it’s time we ended the harsh restrictions that have hindered travel and refocused on the benefits of free movement between our four nations.
The world came to a stand-still in March 2020 when COVID-19 was declared a pandemic.
Flights were cancelled, entire nations went into lockdown and our healthcare systems were on red alert for the influx of those infected by the new virus.
At the time, the idea of CANZUK seemed to no longer be feasible. Four like-minded nations could no longer promote free movement and trade between them as travel was banned and supply chains were stressed. Even Australia and New Zealand suspended the mutual free movement of citizens under the Trans Tasman Travel Agreement – an agreement which forms the foundation of CANZUK and what Canada and the United Kingdom will eventually join.
Not to mention, our elected officials across the four nations could hardly dedicate time to promoting the values of CANZUK free movement, trade and foreign policy when much more pressing issues were at hand, such as hospital capacities and vaccinations.
However, two years on since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, we are much more knowledgeable about the virus. We now have vaccinations as the main weapon in fighting this disease, and we understand from studies that those who are older, obese and have comorbidities are much more likely to suffer serious effects from infection that the young and healthy.
And yet, our governments are still recommending against non-essential travel for everyone. Not only have out-of-the-blue, ad-hoc lockdowns made planning trips near-impossible, but sky-high costs for those wishing to travel (from the requirement of expensive pre and post-departure PCR tests) have also made it increasingly difficult for citizens of our four nations to travel, work, visit friends and family, and explore the wonders that the CANZUK countries have to offer. Why?
In Canada, for example, the federal government states on their official COVID-19 website to, “Avoid non-essential travel outside Canada, regardless of your vaccination status.” And if you do brave travelling to Australia, New Zealand or the United Kingdom, you are required to obtain a pre-departure PCR test before your return flight, which will set you back $200 on average.
Furthermore, if that wasn’t enough, you are then required to undertake another PCR test upon your arrival at a Canadian airport, and quarantine in your home or hotel until the test results arrive from a government-approved laboratory (which could take anywhere from 2-7 days).
All of this is mandatory, regardless of whether you have been infected with COVID-19 and have sufficient antibodies, received your vaccinations (plus booster shots) or whether you wear personal protective equipment during your flights. For most people, the costs (both financial and personal) are just not worth it.
Even in the UK – which is arguable the most lenient of the four countries when it comes to COVID-19 protocols, the burden of quarantine and costs are also extortionate. When travelling to England, a passenger must not only book a PCR test (which must be taken within 48 hours upon arrival at the expense of $200), but must also quarantine until the test results return from a laboratory (again, taking anywhere from 2-7 days). All travelers must also complete a “passenger locator form” before departure, informing the government of where you are staying, who you are staying with, how long you are staying for, and a whole list of other questions.
To put it simply, travelling from Canada to the UK and back again is just simply not feasible for the average family. Two parents and two children will have to spend, in total, $3,200 on return flights, $800 for PCR tests when entering the UK, and $800 on PCR tests to re-enter Canada – all of this in addition to quarantining and isolating from friends and family, regardless of vaccination status.
It’s no wonder that citizens of our four great countries would rather avoid international travel at all costs, and it’s no wonder that the idea of free movement between the CANZUK countries is all but impossible to accomplish under these circumstances.
Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom lead the way in terms of the number of our citizens who are vaccinated. A vast majority of our populations have adequate protection against the COVID-19 virus, and even though our health systems report record numbers of cases, the death statistics that accompany these figures tell a story that does not justify such severe travel restrictions.
As of the time of writing, Canada has reported 2.83 million cases of COVID-19. That is a massive number, but when one considers the death toll of 31,800 from COVID-19, that is 1% of the population who have died because of the virus, and a vast majority of those were over 80 with comorbidities, according to the federal government.
In Australia, those who have died from the virus account for 0.1%. In New Zealand, 0.3%, and in the United Kingdom (the most populated nation of the four), 0.9%.
To put it simply, we have decided to make travel between our four nations impracticable and extortionately expensive for the sake of something which has an average death toll of 0.57%. Statistically, travelers across Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom have a higher chance of dying in a car accident on the way to the airport than they would dying from COVID-19, especially after receiving vaccination and wearing personal protective equipment on board their flights.
Yes, COVID-19 is a serious disease that has devastated the lives of many, but with our better understanding of infections and the use of vaccinations, it makes no sense for the national governments of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom to make travel between our four nations so difficult, expensive, and just not worth the effort.
If we don’t relinquish the overly-arduous restrictions we have implemented across the CANZUK countries, the idea of free movement for our citizens may become one assigned to history and never realized. It is surely time that commonsense prevailed and travel returned to normal once again.
Flights were cancelled, entire nations went into lockdown and our healthcare systems were on red alert for the influx of those infected by the new virus.
At the time, the idea of CANZUK seemed to no longer be feasible. Four like-minded nations could no longer promote free movement and trade between them as travel was banned and supply chains were stressed. Even Australia and New Zealand suspended the mutual free movement of citizens under the Trans Tasman Travel Agreement – an agreement which forms the foundation of CANZUK and what Canada and the United Kingdom will eventually join.
Not to mention, our elected officials across the four nations could hardly dedicate time to promoting the values of CANZUK free movement, trade and foreign policy when much more pressing issues were at hand, such as hospital capacities and vaccinations.
However, two years on since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, we are much more knowledgeable about the virus. We now have vaccinations as the main weapon in fighting this disease, and we understand from studies that those who are older, obese and have comorbidities are much more likely to suffer serious effects from infection that the young and healthy.
And yet, our governments are still recommending against non-essential travel for everyone. Not only have out-of-the-blue, ad-hoc lockdowns made planning trips near-impossible, but sky-high costs for those wishing to travel (from the requirement of expensive pre and post-departure PCR tests) have also made it increasingly difficult for citizens of our four nations to travel, work, visit friends and family, and explore the wonders that the CANZUK countries have to offer. Why?
In Canada, for example, the federal government states on their official COVID-19 website to, “Avoid non-essential travel outside Canada, regardless of your vaccination status.” And if you do brave travelling to Australia, New Zealand or the United Kingdom, you are required to obtain a pre-departure PCR test before your return flight, which will set you back $200 on average.
Furthermore, if that wasn’t enough, you are then required to undertake another PCR test upon your arrival at a Canadian airport, and quarantine in your home or hotel until the test results arrive from a government-approved laboratory (which could take anywhere from 2-7 days).
All of this is mandatory, regardless of whether you have been infected with COVID-19 and have sufficient antibodies, received your vaccinations (plus booster shots) or whether you wear personal protective equipment during your flights. For most people, the costs (both financial and personal) are just not worth it.
Even in the UK – which is arguable the most lenient of the four countries when it comes to COVID-19 protocols, the burden of quarantine and costs are also extortionate. When travelling to England, a passenger must not only book a PCR test (which must be taken within 48 hours upon arrival at the expense of $200), but must also quarantine until the test results return from a laboratory (again, taking anywhere from 2-7 days). All travelers must also complete a “passenger locator form” before departure, informing the government of where you are staying, who you are staying with, how long you are staying for, and a whole list of other questions.
To put it simply, travelling from Canada to the UK and back again is just simply not feasible for the average family. Two parents and two children will have to spend, in total, $3,200 on return flights, $800 for PCR tests when entering the UK, and $800 on PCR tests to re-enter Canada – all of this in addition to quarantining and isolating from friends and family, regardless of vaccination status.
It’s no wonder that citizens of our four great countries would rather avoid international travel at all costs, and it’s no wonder that the idea of free movement between the CANZUK countries is all but impossible to accomplish under these circumstances.
Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom lead the way in terms of the number of our citizens who are vaccinated. A vast majority of our populations have adequate protection against the COVID-19 virus, and even though our health systems report record numbers of cases, the death statistics that accompany these figures tell a story that does not justify such severe travel restrictions.
As of the time of writing, Canada has reported 2.83 million cases of COVID-19. That is a massive number, but when one considers the death toll of 31,800 from COVID-19, that is 1% of the population who have died because of the virus, and a vast majority of those were over 80 with comorbidities, according to the federal government.
In Australia, those who have died from the virus account for 0.1%. In New Zealand, 0.3%, and in the United Kingdom (the most populated nation of the four), 0.9%.
To put it simply, we have decided to make travel between our four nations impracticable and extortionately expensive for the sake of something which has an average death toll of 0.57%. Statistically, travelers across Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom have a higher chance of dying in a car accident on the way to the airport than they would dying from COVID-19, especially after receiving vaccination and wearing personal protective equipment on board their flights.
Yes, COVID-19 is a serious disease that has devastated the lives of many, but with our better understanding of infections and the use of vaccinations, it makes no sense for the national governments of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom to make travel between our four nations so difficult, expensive, and just not worth the effort.
If we don’t relinquish the overly-arduous restrictions we have implemented across the CANZUK countries, the idea of free movement for our citizens may become one assigned to history and never realized. It is surely time that commonsense prevailed and travel returned to normal once again.
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