Travel’s Scarlet Letter

August 30, 2021 Marsha Mowers

From the very beginning of this pandemic, Canadian Travel News has been very frustrated at how the travel industry was being blamed. It was almost as if leaders needed a scapegoat to show they were doing something to slow the spread, and travel fit the bill. Borders were shut down in March 2020, flights were cancelled, and then mandatory quarantine hotels put into place in February 2021.

This even though travel was never a large source of cases, and in most cases hovered at less than 2% of overall cases in Canada. Not to mention the fact that protocols were in place that were / are, arguably tougher than any other industry outside the medical field.

Still, travel has a scarlet letter. 

Go into a big box electronic store and they ask if you’ve travelled out of country in the last two weeks. 

Some workplaces prohibit associating with anyone who has travelled recently, despite that being a second-generation interaction which is considered very low risk.

Then there’s the social aspect; entire social media groups are dedicated to “Staying Home,” and there are many people who see travel as a slap in the face to COVID measures.

Last week was our co-founder Marsha Mowers’ first trip since she went to Curacao for work in November 2019. It was Canadian Travel News’ first opportunity to experience the protocols we’ve often raved about.

We can speak to the protocols for Royal Caribbean, as we were on what’s called a simulation cruise onboard their Oasis of the Seas.  Simulation cruises are basically a Centers for Disease Control requirement to ensure all protocols are in place and followed correctly (think of it like retail’s Secret Shopper).  It gives the crew and staff a chance to practice and ensure new procedures are met after nearly two years of not being in operation.

At every single point on board – restaurants, hallways, shops etc… – there were hand sanitation stations, manned by staff who asked you to wash your hands.  By the end of the trip it was second nature, but the first few days did require an always friendly reminder. Staff were also stationed throughout entry/exit points to remind travellers to mask up, which is easily forgotten at first, after coming in from the outside pools for example.

In addition to all of this, every traveller had to be fully vaccinated and have a negative test to even board the ship. Staff on board are also fully vaccinated and tested weekly.

This meant that every single person Canadian Travel News was on board with during the cruise had tested negative and was also fully vaccinated.  It allowed a somewhat return to normal, which was so, so welcome after a terrible year and a half.

At Canada’s largest airport, Toronto Pearson International, protocols are in place.  There are spots on the floor designating where to social distance; the buckets for security are immediately sanitized and every other seat at the gates is blocked off.

We can’t say the same for regular life.  Concerts, at least in Ontario are back up and running (outside) and there are no requirements to attend; no proof of negative test, no testing at entry, no proof of vaccination. The only safety protocol is to wear a mask unless not actively drinking or eating. Which means that having a mask hang off your ear while holding a beer can, is sufficient.

This is not a political post about whether vaccinations should be required for everyday life activities. 

But we know that when we get on a plane for a destination we’ve been vetted, and that there is also an effective contract tracing component. We can’t say that for other activities, like grocery shopping. 

So why are we still blaming travel?

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