EXACTLY!! These are sight-seeing cruises that do not port anywhere; passengers do not get off the boats. It makes absolutely NO sense and is no more a protection against the spread of Covid to Canadians than would be restricting fly-overs throuh our air-space.I don't think that they were saying it was an entirely different strain per se but the Kiwis were able to identify the new outbreak as having characteristics that indicated it had come from somewhere outside of New Zealand.
I agree and think it is far more likely that the fact that they were not testing border guards and the people working with returning travellers is the issue. I read that yesterday but today had a very hard time to find any reference as the media loves the more sensationalist headlines about frozen food being the source (one positive person worked in a frozen food store) Let's overlook the more likely scenario and race right to the less likely scenario as that will earn more clicks and reads.
I so agree with you and this is what made me angry about the situation when more privileged countries started to do this, apparently then setting a standard for virus control. Back in December, there was horror when China started to quarantine people, including apparently locking them into buildings. But is what is happening now much better? We may not be locking people into buildings, but we are keeping people forcibly separated. Even on this thread there are posters who are apparently ok with this because they are not impacted. I am NOT ok with this. It may be my experience with the DDR (former 'East Germany') but even then travel to other countries was permitted.
They have extended the border closure for Canada/US til end of September now. To add on to your post, yes it sucks these smaller countries that rely on tourism are hurting and I feel bad for them. No one has an answer on how to reopen their borders without the worry of cases getting out of control again.
But should that be the end goal or only goal? Many of these countries deal with other deadly issues like yellow fever, ebola, malaria, etc. I realise that most here don't travel like that but I've been in many places where there was a yellow fever epidemic, for instance.
Did you read the article the PP posted because it doesn't feel like you're talking about what's actually being discussed
In the article the tour boats aren't stopping on the waters, they aren't docking on the U.S. side. There's no opportunities for Americans to go on Canadian soil same as Canadians to go on U.S. soil; least not the way that is being discussed. It's about boundary lines within the waters.
Sure, that's possible but so are case-by-case waivers, which can and should be issued for these American boat tours. Unless the passengers jump off and swim for it, there's little risk of them breaking any rules. While I am ALL FOR the thoughtful protection of national interests, we also need to remember we are not enemies. I actually HATE the idea that Covid-related travel restrictions might be treated as matters of diplomacy and/or foreign relations instead of simple practicalities.
Did you read the article the PP posted because it doesn't feel like you're talking about what's actually being discussed
No one is saying there's aren't Americans going where they shouldn't be going. But this situation such that is being talked about isn't that. It's about the concern over spreading COVID when people aren't even getting off the boat and are just crossing the boundary line of countries within the waters.
ETA: It's the semantics part of my earlier comment coming into play. Recreational travel is still prohibited between the countries. The boat company being spoken about in the article was considered a commercial vessel and thus able to go into the U.S. waters by CBP so long as it didn't stop. The U.S. tour companies' point was these are Canadian tour boats that are taking people on tours so their activities were recreational even whilst their boat was considered commercial. It's like a loophole here.
You kinda seem defensive about Canada with all due respect and I really don't mean that rudely. I know this thread is designed for those mostly outside the U.S and have appreciated hearing different ways. I would have never heard of this story I think unless I saw it on this thread but it's an interesting one none the less.
And as delicately as I can say those who are on those tour boats are participating in leisure/recreational activities across our borders..which is the very thing you say Canada has taken a strong stance against the U.S. for.
Here since day one, all government announcements carried the line that we are not to shame anyone who tests positive. BUT the governor here said many times we should shame people into mask wearing and staying home so....
Violent crime is WAY up here. Two last night, 4 armed men entered and robbed families. Same fuel it sounds as other places. They did lift the ban on alcohol here that was in place the first month.
It's my understanding the Honduras is an extremely violent and dangerous country at the best of times. The Canadian government has an official Travel Advisory in place for more than a decade. What, in general, is the reason for the high rates of violent crime, in your opinion? Are temporary residents such as yourselves safe?
About 10 years ago was way worse, lots of cartel and drug related issues. In the big cities there are still war taxes and lots of issues of gang crime on locals. For the most part if you are not in the middle of that, it has not been a big issue. Mostly pick pockets and stuff taken if you left your car unlocked. Tourists were very rarely targeted or experienced violent crime. But nationals, deal with a lot. Lots of violent crime against women and kidnapping of people with businesses. The current situation is leading to lots of violent crime with those with guns on locals and expats for the sake of stealing cash and electronics and more guns.It's my understanding the Honduras is an extremely violent and dangerous country at the best of times. The Canadian government has an official Travel Advisory in place for more than a decade. What, in general, is the reason for the high rates of violent crime, in your opinion? Are temporary residents such as yourselves safe?
It sounds like something out of a movie, but I've know quite a few people who have gone to work different places overseas and lived in those closed compounds. In the Middle East especially, it's just a different kind of lock-down, I guess.
There are no walls, people can walk down the beach and enter or walk through the forest from the road. Its a resort community and armed guards are just the norm in this part of the world.
You don't have to answer, of course, but may I ask how you ended up living in Honduras?
It's not Honduras but my husband's company was building a power plant in Mexico he was not on it but knew some people who were working on it. Where it was located at a wall had to be built around it first to protect it then the engineers and construction workers were sent down to start on the power plant and armed guards were commonplace. That particular area they were under strict orders not to travel outside a specified zone. These types of things were something I hadn't even considered.
