WASHINGTON / OTTAWA (Reuters) – Restrictions on non-essential travel at the U.S. land borders with Canada and Mexico will run until August 21, Canada and the United States announced Thursday.
FILE PHOTO: Two closed Canadian border checkpoints are seen after it was announced that the border would be closed to “non-essential traffic” to combat the spread of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the border crossing between the United States and Canada on the Thousand Bridge Islands in Lansdowne, Ontario, Canada, March 19, 2020. REUTERS / Alex Filipe / File Photo
“Canada and the United States have agreed to extend the current border measures for one month until August 21, and we will continue to work closely with our American neighbors to keep people safe on both sides of the border,” said the Canadian Prime Minister. Justin Trudeau said at a press conference.
Earlier, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf announced the 30-day extension on Twitter that “close collaboration with our neighbors has allowed us to respond to # COVID19 on a North American approach and curb the spread of the virus related to the trips”.
Reuters reported Monday that Canada and the United States were to extend an imposed ban to combat the coronavirus outbreak.
The rules, first issued in March, have been repeatedly extended into 30-day blocks.
The restrictions do not cover trade across a border between the US and Canada that spans 5,525 miles (8,891 km) or air travel.
Passenger crossings have decreased by 90% or more at many border crossings and have reached tourist destinations along the borders of the United States.
In May, passenger traffic in Detroit dropped to 45,000 people crossing, compared to 502,000 passengers crossing in February.
In San Ysidro, California, on the U.S.-Mexico border, passenger and pedestrian traffic dropped from more than 2.9 million people crossing in February to 1.3 million in May.
The restrictions do not apply to commuters arriving to work or to persons traveling for family, educational or humanitarian reasons.
Reports by David Shepardson in Washington and Steve Scherer in Ottawa; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Aurora Ellis
.
