Why some Canadians abroad aren’t rushing home, notwithstanding Trudeau’s plea

Despite Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s plea to Canadians to lapse home due to a COVID-19 pandemic, Giles Slade is continuing his vacation in Havana. 

The 66-year-old from Brockville, Ont., has even extended his stay by a month, until May 5, hoping to float out a misfortune of a outbreak in a nation where a continue is warm and there are now usually 10 confirmed cases.

“I feel like we drew a propitious straw, or something like that, when we motionless to come to Cuba this year,” pronounced Slade, who spends his days scuba diving, training Spanish and writing.

“It’s a bit too tough to arrange of fit it in between scuba and Spanish classes, though it’s entrance along really nicely,” he pronounced of his latest book.

Slade is one of several Canadians who told CBC News they’ve selected not to rush home during a pandemic, assured they’re safer where they are. 

However, a sovereign supervision suggests otherwise. That’s since limit restrictions are tightening in many countries and Canadians abroad could face problems accessing affordable health care. 

“If people do turn ill, it is most improved to turn ill in your possess home country, where we know that we have suitable health coverage,” pronounced sovereign Health Minister Patty Hajdu.

Some travellers have stable themselves with medical insurance, though there’s a risk it will run out if they extend their stay. 

Since Canada has suggested opposite non-essential general transport due to a coronavirus, many word companies are refusing to extend medical coverage over a traveller’s strange lapse date, pronounced word attorney Martin Firestone. 

Firestone pronounced he’s had to mangle that news to many of his snowbird clients who wish to sojourn in a warmer meridian during a pandemic.

“I’m traffic with people who wish to stay, desiring a germs are going to die in a heat, and they need [medical insurance] extensions. And that’s now turn really formidable for me to accommodate,” pronounced Firestone, who works for Travel Secure in Toronto. 

Slade doesn’t have medical insurance, though pronounced he’s not disturbed since he believes any sanatorium costs in Cuba would be minimal and he trusts a country’s inhabitant health care.

“The glorious health-care complement is prepped and prepared for a unavoidable enlargement of this nasty disease,” he said. 

Riskier to stay or leave?

Firestone pronounced Canadians shouldn’t risk travelling though medical word — even when there is no pandemic.

Lili Hrabchak of Toronto agrees, that is since a snowbird purchased word before travelling with her father to their winter home in Rotonda West, Fla., behind in November. 

But she recently learned that coverage is set to run out — before Hrabchak’s planned departure date of Apr 7. In response to a government’s transport advisory, her insurance provider, Johnson, announced that its clients’ medical coverage will final until March 23, or however prolonged it takes them to immediately lapse home.

This dissapoint Hrabchak, who isn’t prepared to lapse to Canada.

Her husband, Todd, is 85 years aged and suffers from health complications due to a new stroke. She worries if they fly behind by Mar 23, he risks picking adult a pathogen during a swarming airfield or on a swarming flight, as many other travellers rush home, too.

“I feel like there’s a gun to my head, revelation me we have to leave, no matter how ridiculous it is,” Hrabchak, 71, pronounced progressing this week.

On Tuesday, Hrabchak pronounced she was perplexing to confirm that pierce was riskier: staying in Florida though medical word or streamer home.

“It is like personification Russian roulette.”

It turns out, she won’t have to make that formidable decision. 

Shortly after Hrabchak made her box to her provider Wednesday morning, she was sensitive that her medical word will last until Apr 7, and can be extended further if necessary. 

“I am over a moon happy,” said Hrabchak, who encourages any snowbird in a similar situation to hit their word provider. 

Pressure from a kids

Sandy Munro and his wife, Lynn, are also defying a government’s recommendation to lapse home. 

The snowbirds are spending a winter in Venice, Fla., and devise to expostulate back to Canada when their medical word expires on Apr 6 — though not a day sooner. That’s since they feel they’re improved off right now in Florida than during their home in Aurora, Ont., north of Toronto. 

Currently, Florida has about 100 some-more COVID-19 cases than Ontario. Munro pronounced people in his gated village are practising correct protocols by social distancing, while still enjoying the outdoors. 

“We play golf, pickleball, tennis, float bikes, all healthy things,” pronounced Munro, who is 69 years aged and suffers from a lung disorder.

“The warmer meridian here in Florida is most improved for my sold state of health.”

If Munro were means to extend his medical insurance, he pronounced he’d cruise staying longer — if it weren’t for consistent vigour from his 4 children. 

“Our kids are pulling us tough to come back.”

Article source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/coronavirus-return-home-snowbirds-florida-medical-coverage-1.5501955?cmp=rss