Some Windsorites revising holiday itinerary after feds advise against domestic, international travel

Rather than driving over to Detroit to visit family this holiday season, dual citizen Remy Sirls is now planning another "quiet" December at home. 

On Wednesday, the federal government advised Canadians to avoid non-essential domestic and international travel as COVID-19 cases continue to climb. The land border officially reopened to fully vaccinated Canadian travellers on Nov. 8 and while no restrictions have changed, the latest guidance has many in Windsor rethinking their upcoming travel plans. 

"It's hard," Sirls told CBC News. 

"My whole family is [in the U.S.] ... what are you going to do? So it will be just us at home, with the kids. It will be quiet, but it will be much the same I think for so many people." 

Last weekend, she said she took her children to visit their grandfather in Detroit for the first time in two years. And while they were planning to go back for Christmas, she no longer thinks it's what's best. 

And she's not the only one changing her holiday itinerary. 

Complete Travel Windsor travel agent Maria Voros said people are wanting to cancel. 

"I cannot disagree with them," she said. "It is killing the travel business. It's already dead, [but this is] another kick." 

Despite the disappointment people are facing, Sirls said she understands caution is needed and even wants to see the government put in tighter restrictions. 

"I don't know that these measures go quite far enough," she said. 

'Now is not the time to travel:' Health minister

Canadian Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said Wednesday that he's acting now because he's "afraid" and "concerned" for people who travel abroad because the Omicron situation is changing quickly.

The rate of spread is "huge," he said, and Canadians may find themselves stranded if countries impose lockdown measures or curb flights in and out.

"To those who were planning to travel, I say very clearly — now is not the time to travel. The rapid spread of the Omicron variant on a global scale makes us fear the worst," said Duclos. 

For now, he said, the government is just advising against travel but other measures could soon follow.

But Samuel Fedele told CBC News he still plans on travelling into Michigan to see family, but will likely cut his trip short to avoid being impacted by any potential new measures. 

"If something gets more locked down if restrictions get more in place, I don't want to be stuck," he said. 

"[I'm] kind of bummed out. But it's not necessarily in my control, I can only do my part."