Washington, Oct. 13 (BNA): The United States will reopen its land borders to non-essential travel next month, ending a 19-month freeze caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as the country moves to require all international visitors to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. .
Car, rail and ferry travel between the United States, Canada and Mexico has been largely limited to essential travel, such as commerce, since the pandemic’s early days, according to the Associated Press.
New rules will allow fully vaccinated foreign nationals to enter the United States
Regardless of the reason for travel starting in early November, when a similar relaxation of restrictions is made to start air travel into the country.
By mid-January, even essential travelers seeking to enter the United States, such as truck drivers, will need to be fully vaccinated.
Both Mexico and Canada have lobbied the United States for months to ease travel restrictions that have separated families and curtailed recreational trips since the start of the pandemic.
The latest move follows an announcement last month that the United States will end the country’s travel ban on air travel, and instead require vaccination for foreign nationals seeking entry by plane.
Officials said both policies will take effect in early November. They did not specify a specific date.
According to officials, travelers entering the United States by vehicle, rail and ferry will be asked about their vaccination status as part of standard admissions procedures at US Customs and Border Protection.
At the officers’ discretion, proof of vaccination for travelers will be verified in a secondary screening process.
Unlike air travel, where proof of a negative COVID-19 test is required before boarding a flight to enter the United States, no testing will be required to enter the United States by land or sea, provided travelers meet vaccination requirements.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States will accept travelers who have been fully vaccinated with any of the vaccines approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization, not just those used in the United States. This means that the AstraZeneca vaccine, widely used in Canada, will be accepted.
Officials said the CDC is still working to formalize the admission procedures for those who have received doses of two different vaccines, as was fairly common in Canada.
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