Friday, March 29, 2024

US border to open to fully vaccinated Canadians for the first time in 19 months

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For nineteen months, the US/Canada border has been closed for non-essential travel. 

Now, for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the US will be opening its land border to fully vaccinated Canadians.

In a press release by US Congressman Brian Higgins yesterday, he confirmed the United States will be reopening its land borders and ports of entry to non-essential travel for both Canada and Mexico early next month. 

“For months now we’ve heard from businesses that are suffering and families distraught over the separation imposed by the continued border shutdown,” Higgins said.

In August, Canada began accepting fully vaccinated American travellers to cross the border, however, the United States has remained closed to Canadians. 

When the border does open to Canadians for non-essential travel, proof of vaccination will be required in order to cross. 

Although AstraZeneca has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have not yet announced if mixed courses of vaccines will be considered fully vaccinated for travel purposes. 

In the first stage of re-opening, fully vaccinated Canadians will be able to cross the border for non-essential reasons. 

Essential workers will have until January 2022 before they must also be fully vaccinated in order to cross the border. 

No testing will be required to enter the US by land or sea, as long as travellers provide proof of full vaccine status. However, a negative COVID-19 test is currently required in order to cross the border from the US to Canada. 

Higgins said he would be lobbying to remove the requirement for tests to cross the border back into Canada. 

“Border communities await further details from the administration with great expectation, and I will continue to advocate for a more fully and freely open border to both governments, sooner rather than later” Higgins said.

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