Health News Roundup: Canada to require air travelers to test negative for COVID-19; Australia rings in 2021 with new pandemic restrictions, traffic jams and more

Passengers will need to have a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to their scheduled departure to Canada, the country said on Wednesday, after social media images of maskless Canadian tourists abroad prompted calls for stricter measures to curb the virus. Australia rings in 2021 with new pandemic restrictions, traffic jams Australia welcomed 2021 with subdued celebrations as fresh coronavirus restrictions and border closures at its two most populous states forced families to ditch New Year plans.

British doctors have said a government decision to delay giving a coronavirus vaccine booster shot to vulnerable patients who have already had a first dose will be distressing and disruptive, their trade union said on Thursday. The government said on Wednesday it wanted to give a first dose to as many people as possible before starting to administer boosters at 12 weeks, in an effort to provide more people with a degree of protection more quickly.

Canada to require air travelers to test negative for COVID-19

Canada will require air travelers aged 5 and up to test negative for COVID-19 before arrival, starting Jan. 7, Transport Minister Marc Garneau said on Thursday, as the country tightens travel restrictions amid soaring cases of the novel coronavirus. Passengers will need to have a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to their scheduled departure to Canada, the country said on Wednesday, after social media images of maskless Canadian tourists abroad prompted calls for stricter measures to curb the virus.

Australia rings in 2021 with new pandemic restrictions, traffic jams

Australia welcomed 2021 with subdued celebrations as fresh coronavirus restrictions and border closures at its two most populous states forced families to ditch New Year plans. Media reported traffic jams at border check-points stretching as long as 40 km (25 miles) as people rushed home to avoid border restrictions that kick in from midnight.

Local funding crisis threatens U.S. vaccine rollout Seattle public health officials have so little COVID-19 funding on hand they worry they will have to shut down some virus testing sites as they mount a campaign to dose their 2.3 million residents with Pfizer Inc's and Moderna Inc's vaccines.

King County, which represents greater Seattle, has $14 million of COVID-19 funding for 2021, roughly enough to fund its operations for a single month, and a fraction of the $87 million emergency COVID-19 aid it received in 2020, said Ingrid Ulrey, the public health policy director for King County. What you need to know about the coronavirus right now

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(With inputs from agencies.)