The United States will open its land borders to vaccinated travelers in “early November”

The government of USA will open its land borders with Mexico and Canada on a November date yet to be confirmed and will require travelers who want to enter a proof of vaccination with a complete schedule, the White House announced on Tuesday.

The date will coincide with the one USA require proof of vaccination for international travelers arriving by air and lift entry restrictions from the European Union (EU), United Kingdom, Brazil and China, a measure announced as early as September.

What’s more, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that the measures will also apply to maritime ferry entries.

The land borders with Mexico and Canada have been closed since March 2020, coinciding with the outbreak of the pandemic and still with Donald Trump President.

The plan to open those land borders will consist of two phases. The first will take effect in November and will require proof of vaccination for trips considered “non-essential”, such as tourism or visits.

The second will be in January 2022, in which proof of vaccination will be mandatory for all travelers.

“This phased approach will provide enough time for essential travelers, such as truckers and others, to get vaccinated, allowing a smooth transition to this new system. ” a senior White House official assured in a call with journalists.

This system will work in legal ports of entry, so “Any alien who tries to enter the United States in an irregular manner (…) will be subject to border restrictions, including expulsion”, Emphasized another official.

The White House and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are still working to determine what documentation will be required to demonstrate vaccination status.

Officials, on the other hand, explained that, although a final decision has not yet been made, it is most likely that all vaccines authorized by the World Health Organization (WHO) will be accepted for admission, even though they are not approved in the USA, such as AstraZeneca.

The CDC has already announced that this will be the case for air arrivals.

It is also still being studied whether people who have received two different types of vaccines will be accepted for their full regimen, a practice that has been used for example in Canada.

The border agents will be in charge of verifying the documentation at the time of entry to USA.

Source: EFE

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