The United States will open its land borders to vaccinated people in November

The United States should open “in early November” its land borders with Mexico and Canada to travelers vaccinated against Covid-19 and making trips deemed non-essential, a senior White House official announced on Wednesday.

After announcing the impending end of restrictions for travelers vaccinated against Covid-19 arriving by air , the United States will open “in early November” its land borders with Mexico and Canada to vaccinated visitors, said overnight. Tuesday October 12 to Wednesday October 13 a senior official of the White House.

He assured, during a conference call, that the precise date of entry into force of the new device would be known “very soon” for these trips by land , as for international trips by plane, for which the obligation vaccine was announced on September 20. “It will go together,” according to the White House source.

Faced with the pandemic, the United States had closed its borders from March 2020, for millions of travelers coming in particular from the European Union, the United Kingdom, or China, then later from India or the Brazil. But also for visitors coming, by land, from Canada and Mexico.

This has caused painful personal situations, and economic damage.

Compulsory vaccination in early 2022

Regarding the land crossing of borders, the source said that the new system would be implemented in “two phases”.

Initially, vaccines will be required for “non-essential” trips, such as sightseeing or visiting family, but the vaccination requirement will not apply to trips deemed “essential”, which have always been allowed.

Secondly, from “early January” 2022, all travelers, whatever their reasons, must be fully vaccinated.

This will leave “ample time” for example to drivers of heavy goods vehicles, who have compelling professional reasons to cross the border, to be vaccinated, according to the White House.

The source clarified that the current restrictions for these land borders, which expire on October 21, would therefore be extended once again, until the date of entry into force of the new device.

A lifting of restrictions for legal land entries

Asked about the vaccines that will allow entry into the territory, the senior official referred to the indications of the American health authorities.

The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), the lead federal public health agency, has “advised airlines that all vaccines approved by the FDA (the United States Medicines Agency) and the World Health Organization. health would be accepted for air travel “.

“I anticipate it will be the same for land travel,” said the senior official, adding that in this case the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is not administered in the United States, would be accepted.

The source clarified that this lifting of restrictions would only concern legal land entries into the territory.

“Title 42”, the controversial legislation that allowed the Trump administration and then the Biden administration to deport irregular people for health reasons since the start of the pandemic, will continue to apply, has she said.

This text, criticized by associations according to which it restricts the right of asylum in particular, was thus invoked by the White House to massively expel Haitians who had recently gathered at the border with Mexico.

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