New travel restrictions will be the focus of Friday’s provincial and federal COVID-19 related news.

At 11:30, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce new quarantine rules for Canadians returning to this country to discourage anyone who might be tempted to leave during March Break. The federal government has been urged by Quebec Premier Francois Legault to require anyone returning from abroad to quarantine for two weeks at a hotel at their own expense.

Trudeau has urged Canadians for weeks not to take any non essential trips outside of the country.

Then this afternoon, Ontario Premier Doug Ford is expected to announce new measures that will force international travellers to be tested for COVID-19 once they arrive at Pearson Airport.

Dr. Alon Vaisman is an infectious diseases expert at University Health Network.

He told Zoomer Radio’s Fight Back with Libby Znaimer this week, he thinks this type of widespread testing at the airport is doable.

“I think we probably do have the capacity to do that, especially if we have a targeted approach,” Dr. Vaisman told Libby, “The other thing to keep in mind is if quarantining is done very well and people are doing an excellent job of their quarantining or if it’s imposed upon them then the testing is off less value because those individuals will stay quarantined for fourteen days regardless of whether they have a negative test of not.” Listen to the full conversation by clicking here.

The new measures at Pearson are designed to increase efforts to curb the spread of more contagious variants of COVID-19.