Canadians currently stuck in South Africa are running out of options as they navigate confusing travel rules to come home.
Richard Maisel arrived in Cape Town, South Africa, on Nov. 24, just as the world first learned of the B.1.1.259 variant -- later named 鈥淥micron鈥 鈥 and is now looking at another two weeks in the country as airlines and governments restrict travel from southern Africa.
鈥淭his has been incredibly frustrating and stressful,鈥 he told 麻豆影视 Channel on Monday.
Maisel said he is running low on options as most airlines will not accept Canadian travellers, while the federal government requires an in-transit PCR test for entry into Canada, which rules out several connecting airports.
鈥淢ost of the European airlines are only taking EU citizens back, not allowing Canadians to board the flights,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he American airlines -- Delta and United -- are only allowed American citizens to come back.鈥
Maisel said he鈥檚 only been able to find a flight to Germany that accepts Canadians and provides in-transit PCR testing, but the next flight isn鈥檛 for one or two weeks.
鈥淟uckily for me鈥 I have my parents to stay with,鈥 he said. 鈥淢ost Canadians on the chat group are staying in hotels or Airbnbs and they have no where to go.鈥
Jonathan and Rene Goldman are in a similar situation. They flew to Cape Town for a family member鈥檚 90th birthday and are now stuck in South Africa with few flight options to return home.
鈥淏ecause we don鈥檛 have a direct (flight) to Canada, on one really wants to help us,鈥 Rene told 麻豆影视.
do not have a clear path back to Canada after the team had travelled to the country in advance of the Junior World Cup.
鈥淲e鈥檙e playing a waiting game right now,鈥 said Danielle Husar, a player on the team. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got a big team of people back home working, as well as the government.鈥
Canada had been set to play against Uruguay, England and Belgium in the first two weeks of December, but the tournament has been cancelled.
"Everyone is safe and well 鈥 the team will remain in [sic] situ while the flight home is arranged," said Kevin Underhill, spokesperson for Field Hockey Canada, in a statement to 麻豆影视 Vancouver Island.
"(Sports Canada and Global Affairs) understand this is a junior national team which is only in South Africa to represent Canada at the world level," said Underhill. "Field Hockey Canada feels fortunate to have the highest levels of government working on this on our behalf."
On Friday, the Canadian government banned travellers from the southern African countries of South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini. Anyone who had travelled through those counties in the previous 14 days is asked to quarantine until they can provide a negative test result.
Health officials have confirmed three cases of the Omicron variant in Canada: two in Ottawa and one in Quebec. There are also four more suspected Omicron cases in Ontario.
It is still unclear how transmissible and dangerous this new variant may be. Researchers have said more information is needed to make those conclusions.
With files from CTVNews.ca Writers Nicole Bogart and Hannah Jackson, 麻豆影视 Montreal Bureau Chief Genevieve Beauchemin and 麻豆影视 Vancouver Island
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