The US government will from November open the country’s borders to non-essential travellers, who will be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, as well as ease restrictions for air travel to the US, American news agency AP reports.
This will end a 19-month freeze due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Vehicle, rail and ferry travel between the US and Canada and Mexico has been largely restricted to essential travel, such as trade, since the earliest days of the pandemic in 2020. The new rules, to be announced on Wednesday, October 13, will allow fully vaccinated foreign nationals to enter the US regardless of the reason for travel starting in early November, when a similar easing of restrictions is set to kick in for air travel into the country.
Read also: Plane crashes in US and Russia claim many lives
At least until mid-January, 2022, even essential travellers wishing to enter the country, like truck drivers, will need to be fully vaccinated. Senior administration officials previewed the new policy late Tuesday on the condition of anonymity to speak ahead of the formal announcement.
The latest decision follows an announcement in September that the U.S. will end country-based travel bans for air travel, and instead require vaccination for foreign nationals seeking to enter by air, AP reports.