MONTREAL — While the U.S. hasn’t yet reopened its side of the Canada-U.S. border to Canadians, the requirements for incoming travellers when restrictions do lift will likely include full vaccination.
That’s the word from wire service Reuters, which reports that the Biden administration is working on a phased plan that would only permit entry to foreign travellers who are fully vaccinated.
On July 19 the Canadian government announced that starting Aug. 9, fully vaccinated American travellers would be allowed into Canada, including for non-essential travel.
While many expected the U.S. to reciprocate, days later the U.S. announced it was keeping its side of the border closed until at least Aug. 21.
Canada’s border is set to reopen to all fully vaccinated international travellers effective Sept. 7.
WHAT TRUDEAU SAID TODAY
At a media briefing today in Montreal, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was asked about the Aug. 9 reopening to American travellers, coming up next week, in light of the rise in delta variant cases in North America and around the world.
“We know that people who are fully vaccinated can still transmit the virus. That is why we continue requiring testing upon arrival,” Trudeau responded, referring to the additional requirements on top of proof of full vaccination, for American travellers starting Aug. 9 and international travellers starting Sept. 7.
Trudeau added: “But we also know the [Canadians] who did their share, who got vaccinated, we owe it to them to come back to a somewhat normal life. We cannot fully live in fear because of a percentage of people who continue to hesitate. And that is why we will continue to try and resume the normal life, we will start accepting fully vaccinated tourists, first from the States, and then from other countries.”
In light of the reports that the U.S. is looking at a phased border reopening for fully vaccinated travellers – and considering that the FDA does not include AstraZeneca on its list of approved vaccines, and also does not recognize mixed vaccination doses as fully vaccinated – Trudeau reiterated his stance that Canada continues to share its research results on the effectiveness of AstraZeneca.
