Vaccinated Americans will soon be able to travel to Canada starting August 9. Canada is planning to open to vaccinated Americans first before opening for the rest of the world’s vaccinated population on September 7.
Canada announced earlier that they are not going to allow unvaccinated travelers for quite some time. In a tweet by Justin Trudeau on Monday, “At every step, the safety of Canadians will continue to be our top priority”.
According to Canada’s health minister Patty Hajdu, “with rising vaccination rates and fewer cases in Canada, we can begin to safely ease border measures”. Hajdu also added that there will be a “gradual approach to reopening”. This way, it is easier to monitor the COVID19 situation in Canada and abroad.
No Quarantine for Vaccinated Americans
There will still be a pre-arrival test for travelers going to Canada. They will also have to use the ArriveCAN portal to post all their travel information. However, the good news is that they don’t need to quarantine upon arriving. There will usually be no additional COVID test upon arrival. However, officials will randomly select travelers for additional tests.
Travelers will have to carry proof of vaccination. It can be a digital or a paper copy. Also, they will need to prepare for quarantine in case the traveler doesn’t meet the requirements.
Delta Variant Concerns in the US
Both US and Canadian borders closed in March 2020. Aside from Canada, Mexico also opened its borders to vaccinated Americans. However, the US remains closed for both Canadian and Mexican non-essential travelers. When asked whether the US will reciprocate Canada’s reopening, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that “We’re continuing to review our travel restrictions. Any decision about resuming travel will be guided by our public health and medical experts”.
Health experts are concerned regarding the growing number of delta variant cases. Stocks from airlines, hotels, and cruises even dropped this week. Investors are worried that stricter travel restrictions will come back.
According to CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the delta variant constitutes 83% of all sequenced COVID cases in the US. That’s a jump from 50% the week of July 3.
