Ontario couple cancel honeymoon trip to Barbados after vaccine mix not approved
An Ontario man says he and his wife cancelled their honeymoon trip to Barbados after the country announced it does not consider people with mixed vaccine regimens fully vaccinated.
Eric Seed said he and his wife postponed their honeymoon due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and they waited until they were fully vaccinated to start planning the long-awaited trip.
“We booked a nice little vacation for Barbados,” he told Newstalk 1010 on Thursday morning. “We booked it on the 23rd, and on the 25th, they changed the rules saying that if you mix your vaccines … you can't go because they don't consider you fully vaccinated.”
“Prior to the 25th, their rules were similar to everyone else and then they seemed to change everything and pivot.”
On its website, the Barbados Ministry of Tourism outlines its new rules and protocols, which took effect on June 25, saying the country does not recognize people as fully vaccinated if they did not get the same vaccine for both doses.
“In accordance with WHO standard, mixing of vaccine regimens (1st dose of one brand followed by 2nd dose of another which is not a one-dose regimen) is not accepted as complete vaccines regimen,” the document states.
People who are not considered to be fully vaccinated can still visit the country, but they would face stringent restrictions, including a quarantine period of up to eight days instead of one or two.
The World Health Organization's Chief Scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan said in an online briefing on Monday that she advised against people mixing and matching COVID-19 vaccines from different manufacturers.
In a tweet following her statement during the briefing, Swaminathan said that "individuals should not decide for themselves" to mix vaccine doses, but that "public health agencies can, based on available data."
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization, the body that advises Canadian health officials on vaccines, says it’s safe to mix vaccines, and public heath units across the country have been urging residents to do so.
Seed said he booked through Air Canada, which luckily had a cancellation policy, and so he rebooked the honeymoon for the Dominican Republic instead.
Despite being able to rebook his vacation, Seed said he’s concerned about mixed messaging on the issue, and feels the G20 nations should come together and decide on a concise message on vaccines.
“Everyone is kind of doing their own thing, it's fragmented,” he said.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he’s working with other countries to make sure rules for fully vaccinated Canadian travellers are consistent.
“We’re going to continue to work with the international community to make sure that people who are fully vaccinated in ways that Canadians recognizes as safe and effective are also recognized around the world,” he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.