US expands border restrictions with Canada and Mexico to prevent a COVID-19 outbreak

The US border authorities are extending transit restrictions across their land borders. This measure keeps entry from Mexico and Canada limited until 21 July. 

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) assured that the measures will not have an impact on "essential trade and travel", with this measure they seek to avoid a resurgence of COVID-19. In the same statement, reference is made to the "ban on the movement of ferries" from these countries.

Last Friday, Canada reaffirmed that it will keep its land borders closed, extending the measure that has been in place since March 2020 until at least the established date of 21 July. 

Canada's Public Safety Minister Bill Blair confirmed the move in a Twitter message in which he said that the "top priority" in the fight against COVID-19 "is to keep Canadians safe" and to achieve this, "in coordination with the US" restrictions on non-essential international travel are being extended. 

Blair also stressed that the Canadian government "is planning measures for fully vaccinated Canadians, permanent residents and others currently allowed entry into Canada", via his official Twitter account.

In this regard, Justin Trudeau, Canadian Prime Minister, stated that the border with the United States will remain closed until 75% of Canadians have been vaccinated against COVID-19 with at least the first dose and 20% have received both doses, according to El País.

This decision comes at a time when Mexico still has localised outbreaks in certain parts of the country and, for the second week in a row, there has been a drop in the number of vaccinations among the population. According to Mundo Latino, Marcelo Ebrard, Mexico's foreign minister, announced that there are two possibilities when it comes to opening borders. "One way is to reach an agreement to relax these restrictions until they are lifted," Ebrard said at a conference with President Andrés Manuel López. "Another way is that, when a percentage (of vaccination) is reached in all the cities, a decision will be taken.

Mexico's vaccination schedule has been accelerated, as part of the project to open the land border with the United States, vaccinating the entire population over the age of 18 in the state of Baja California. 

In addition, despite declines in infections in recent weeks, Mexico has experienced an 8% increase due to specific outbreaks in areas such as Mexico City. With this, the Mexican Ministry of Health reported 1,578 new confirmed cases of coronavirus and 36 deaths. These figures add up to a total of more than two million infected and 231,187 deaths in Mexico since the beginning of the pandemic.

The three governments of the T-MEC member countries held meetings last week and plan to hold them every two weeks to facilitate coordination and reopen their borders, according to Reuters.

The Department of Homeland Security has described the meetings as "positive developments in recent weeks" thanks to US agencies and representatives from Canada and Mexico working together to "identify conditions under which restrictions can be eased in a safe and sustainable manner". 

Latin America Coordinator: José Antonio Sierra.