Amid the outrage over new airport security measures, many Canadians might have missed one good nugget when it comes to international travel: e lifting of U.S. travel restrictions that had stopped HIV-positive foreigners from entering the country for more than 20 years.home hiv test, hiv self test, home hiv kit
It sounds archaic and, one might argue, unbelievable, but the restriction banning HIV-positive travellers from the U.S. had been a sad reality since 1987 (similar restrictions also were lifted in South Korea at the beginning of the month).home hiv test, hiv self test, home hiv kit
As the medical community produced more and more findings on transmission of the virus, the U.S. show its ignorance by refusing entry to HIV-positive visitors.
Many HIV-positive Canadians crossed the border anyway, lying about their medical status when asked, or making the risky decision to leave medication at home to avoid detection. ere were reports of Canadians, if they revealed HIV-positive status, being held in detention cells or fingerprinted before being sent home.home hiv test, hiv self test, home hiv kit
is situation should not have been allowed to continue for so long. e restrictions were introduced under the guise of protecting public health, but even then — or five or 10 years later — government officials should have known better.home hiv test, hiv self test, home hiv kit
For a global leader, the U.S. failed on this front, by supporting discriminatory practices toward people with HIV/AIDS. Critics argued the ban caused people travelling to the U.S. to avoid HIV testing, or take risks by leaving medication at home.home hiv test, hiv self test, home hiv kit
While refugee claimants to Canada are not denied entry if they test positive for HIV, economic immigrants might be given the cold shoulder depending on their perceived cost to the public health system.home hiv test, hiv self test, home hiv kit
Our country, however, does not ask visitors to disclose their HIV status at the border. We do not treat HIV-positive travellers like second-class citizens.
Last week, UNAIDS executive director Michel Sidibe said: “Let no country obstruct someone because of their HIV status. Such discrimination has no place in today’s highly mobile world.”home hiv test, hiv self test, home hiv kit
e international community, including Canada, needs to push countries with remaining travel bans to accept all visitors, regardless of their HIV status.