Canada Closing Border To Unvaccinated Athletes

Canada is closing its border to unvaccinated professional and amateur athletes in the New Year.

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said on Friday that unvaccinated players in the NBA, NHL, MLB and MLS are currently permitted to cross the border under a national interest COVID-19 exemption, but things will be changing in January.

Toronto.com reports the mandatory vaccine rules, which come into effect Jan. 15, would affect few if any unvaccinated NBA and NHL players, as the percentage of unvaccinated players is very few.

The NBA reported before the season tipped off that 95% of its players had been vaccinated, and recently encouraged its players to receive COVID-19 booster vaccines as soon as possible, and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said at the start of the season that the league had just four unvaccinated players.

Exempt unvaccinated travelers will continue to be subject to testing, quarantine, and other entry requirements, the article states. Non-exempt unvaccinated or partially vaccinated foreign nationals will be prohibited entry into Canada.

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