U.S. extends restrictions on cross-border travel from Canada

July 22, 2021

Land Line Staff

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The U.S. has extended its ban on nonessential cross-border land travel from Canada because of the coronavirus through at least Aug. 21.

A notice from the Department of Homeland Security about the extended travel restrictions was published July 22 in the Federal Register. The previous order was set to expire July 21.

The U.S. has limited travel by individuals from Canada into the U.S. via land ports to essential travel since March 24, 2020.

The U.S. decision to extend cross-border travel restrictions contrasts with recent announcements by Canada to ease travel restrictions for nonessential cross-border travel from the U.S. for fully vaccinated people.

Canada plans to allow nonessential travel for fully vaccinated American citizens and permanent residents beginning on Aug. 9. Canada plans to open Canada’s borders for discretionary travel by travelers from any country who have been fully vaccinated on Sept. 7.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security notes positive developments in the spread of the coronavirus in recent weeks, but the risks posed by new variants of COVID-19 returning to previous levels of travel between the U.S. and Canada puts personnel at the land ports of entry and individual travelers at increased risk of exposure to the coronavirus.

“Given the outbreak and continued transmission and spread of COVID-19 within the United States and globally, the secretary has determined that the risk of continued transmission and spread of the virus associated with COVID-19 between the United States and Canada poses an ongoing specific threat to human life or national interests,” reads the U.S. government notice.

The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention reports that, as of July 21, more than 59% of adults (161.9 million people) in the United States are fully vaccinated and just over 68% have had at least one vaccine dose.

The CDC reports 34 million COVID-19 cases in the past 30 days and 607,289 total deaths.

Anyone wanting to be vaccinated can find a coronavirus vaccine provider at Vaccines.gov. Via that portal, users can choose the single-shot Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine or the two-dose Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines. LL