US to reopen land, sea borders for fully COVID vaccinated non-essential travellers in Nov

Ending a 19-month freeze due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the US on Wednesday, 13 October, is expected to announce the reopening of its land and sea borders to non-essential travel starting early November. Since the earliest days of the pandemic last year, vehicle, rail and ferry travel between the US, Canada and Mexico has largely been restricted to essential travel. However, now the new rules, which will come into effect next month, will allow fully vaccinated foreign nationals to enter the US regardless of the reason for travel. 

According to The Associated Press, along with border reopening, the United States is also expected to ease restrictions for air travel in the country starting in early November. Senior Biden administration officials have reportedly previewed the new policy and are now set to make a formal announcement on Wednesday. It is to mention that the latest move comes after last month’s announcement that the US will end country-based travel bans for air travel, and instead require vaccination for foreign nationals seeking to enter by plane. 

Negative COVID test not required to enter US by land 

The two new policies are expected to take effect in early November. As per AP, the officials have specified that the rules only apply to legal entry to the US and further cautioned that those seeking to enter illegally will still be subject to expulsion. They have also informed that travellers entering the nation by vehicle, rail and ferry will be asked about their COVID-19 vaccination status as part of the standard US Customs and Border Protection admissions process. 

It is worth noting that unlike air travel, for which a negative COVID-19 test is required before boarding a flight to enter the US, no testing will be required to enter the nation by land or sea, provided the visitors meet the vaccination requirement. Separately, the US CDC has said that the nation will accept travellers who have been fully inoculated with any of the vaccines approved for emergency use by the WHO. This means that the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, widely used in Canada, will be accepted. 

(With inputs from AP)