The U.S. lifted travel restrictions from many countries, including Canada, Mexico, and most of Europe on Monday. This allowed tourists to take long-delayed trips, and families to reunite with loved ones who had been separated for more than a year due to the pandemic.
The United States will accept fully vaccinated passengers at its airports and land border starting Monday. This is a significant change from the COVID-19 restriction, which dates back to Trump's administration. As long as the traveler can show proof of vaccination and have passed a COVID-19 negative test, these new rules will allow them to fly from previously restricted countries. Mexico and Canada require proof of vaccination, but not a test, for land travel.
More travelers are expected to travel from Europe and other parts of the world, according to airlines. According to data from Cirium, airlines are increasing their flights between the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States by 21% each month, compared with last month.
This will have a significant impact on Canada and Mexico's borders. Before the pandemic, traveling back and forth between the two countries was commonplace.
The lack of Mexican visitors has decimated the U.S. border towns' Main Street shops, restaurants, and malls. Cross-border hockey rivalries between Canada and the United States were a part of community traditions, until the outbreak. The church that has members from both sides of the border is hoping to receive parishioners who haven't been there during COVID-19 shutdown.
They are eager to reconnect with loved ones who have been away from their loved ones for holidays, birthdays, and funerals.
River Robinson's American partner was unable to travel to Canada 17 months ago due to pandemic-related border closings. She was delighted to learn that the U.S. has reopened its land crossings for vaccinated travelers.
Robinson, who lives in St. Thomas Ontario, stated that he plans to bring his baby down for American Thanksgiving. If everything goes well at the border, I'll be taking him down as often as possible. It is crazy to think that he may have a different side to his family than he has met.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has announced that travelers to the United States will be allowed to travel if they have been fully vaccinated using any vaccine approved for emergency use by World Health Organization. This includes the AstraZeneca vaccine which is widely used in Canada.
Air travelers are required by airlines to match their vaccination records against ID. If they don't, they can face fines up to $35,000 per violation. For contact tracing purposes, airlines will collect passenger information. CDC workers will spot-check travelers to ensure compliance in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at land borders will verify that vaccine proof is present.
These moves are coming as the U.S. has seen COVID-19's outlook dramatically improve in the last weeks after the summer delta surge which pushed many hospitals to the edge in many places.
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Rob Gillies from Toronto contributed to this article.
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