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US extends Mexico, Canada land border closure while announcing reopening to vaccinated Asian, European travelers

Mexico City, Mexico — After the White House reported that it will reopen its borders to vaccinated air passengers from China, India, Great Britain and other European countries, it will keep its border with Mexico closed.

The United States reported Monday that it will extend restrictions on its land borders with Mexico and Canada to prevent non-essential travel such as tourism by foreigners, despite Ottawa’s decision to allow vaccinated Americans to enter the country.

Canada has allowed Americans who have completed their vaccinations to enter the country for non-essential travel as of August 9, however, the US has not reciprocated.

The United States extended extraordinary border restrictions with its two neighbors on a monthly basis since March 2020, when it imposed them to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.

The new extension will be until October 21, the White House coordinator to mitigate the coronavirus, Jeff Zients, told reporters.

On September 14, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador reported that the vaccination of all inhabitants of municipalities bordering the United States was completed with the second dose, allowing the northern border to be completely opened.

However, the neighboring country has said that it will only reopen its borders to vaccinated air passengers from China, India, Britain and many other European countries beginning early November.

The White House plans to allow travelers who are not US citizens from countries that have been barred from entering the United States since early 2020, as it moves toward the new requirements, Jeff Zients noted.