Land Border Opening?

[Lori Williamson]

I don't think that they will implement that type of a requirement. If they do...it not only would make many Canadians ineligible, but it would make many from the European countries unable to travel into the US. They will NEED our travel dollars. Many countries have mixed dosing, because of availability.

Once the CDC updates their findings/testing/researching (which they heavily follow recommentations of the WHO) there is a very high probability that they will follow the same guidelines as what the WHO that state the mixed doses are considered " fully vaccinated".

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Honestly, at this rate of the boarder opening, many of us are going to be needing our " booster" and that will be what our second dose was. I can't help by shake my head at everything thing at this point

Does the WHO have it on their website saying mixed are considered "fully vaccinated"? I haven't been able to find that yet?

 

[ellbell]

Does the WHO have it on their website saying mixed are considered "fully vaccinated"? I haven't been able to find that yet?

No the WHO and CDC do not officially recognize a mixed vaccine series as fully vaccinated. That's why cryise ships don't allow mixed vaccines from US ports so it's very likely going to be an issue when the allow others into the country and open the border.

 

[Lori Williamson]

This was on another thread, this gives me hope since it was posted on WHO:

https://www.who.int/images/default-...n_facts_horiz-en_30_7_4.jpg?sfvrsn=8fc147fa_3

 

[ellbell]

I don't think that they will implement that type of a requirement. If they do...it not only would make many Canadians ineligible, but it would make many from the European countries unable to travel into the US. They will NEED our travel dollars. Many countries have mixed dosing, because of availability.

Once the CDC updates their findings/testing/researching (which they heavily follow recommentations of the WHO) there is a very high probability that they will follow the same guidelines as what the WHO that state the mixed doses are considered " fully vaccinated".

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Honestly, at this rate of the boarder opening, many of us are going to be needing our " booster" and that will be what our second dose was. I can't help by shake my head at everything thing at this point

According to WHO there isn't enough info to support a mixed dose

https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-(covid-19)-vaccines

 

[accm]

Well this is bad news for me. We have flights scheduled leaving from Detroit for the wine and dine half beginning of November, and I'm not willing to risk that they'll open the border by then. Now I'm looking at flights leaving from Toronto. I either pay way more to fly with Delta, or just get a credit from them and fly Air Canada.

 

[dvcdisney]

So, in November, are we expecting the land border to open to coincide with the US announcement to ease restrictions to fully vaccinated foreign nationals?

 

[pigletto]

So, in November, are we expecting the land border to open to coincide with the US announcement to ease restrictions to fully vaccinated foreign nationals?

I’m not sure to be honest. I think if they have the program in place to check for vaccine credentials that they would open it up. But they are having trouble with their border with Mexico that could be slowing the process. I’ve given up trying to speculate.

 

[Cathyn35]

Well this is bad news for me. We have flights scheduled leaving from Detroit for the wine and dine half beginning of November, and I'm not willing to risk that they'll open the border by then. Now I'm looking at flights leaving from Toronto. I either pay way more to fly with Delta, or just get a credit from them and fly Air Canada.

Can you fly TO to Detroit? My husband had to do that and it wasn’t too expensive a flight.

 

[Sue M]

Not that this will come as a surprise to anyone, but the USA land border will remained closed to Canadians, at least until October 21st.


The White House did not immediately comment on Friday, but White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeff Zients said on Wednesday that given the Delta variant of the coronavirus, "we will maintain the existing travel restrictions at this point."

U.S. officials and travel industry executives say the White House is set to renew the restrictions before the latest extension expires on Sept. 21.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coron...o-lift-canadian-travel-restrictions-1.5590886

Yup I heard that. Ended any hope I had of revising my flights to cancel YVR-SeaTac connection and drive down to SeaTac. My connection coming home is awful. No afternoon/evening connection now. So have to overnight and pick up YVR connection in the morning. If I could’ve driven across I’d be home in 3 hrs!

 

[accm]

Can you fly TO to Detroit? My husband had to do that and it wasn’t too expensive a flight.

I could, but I'd rather just have a direct flight. I'll just end up adding to the list of airlines that I have credit with (WJ, United, and now Delta)

 

[Jackie5170]

Can you fly TO to Detroit? My husband had to do that and it wasn’t too expensive a flight.

Wow. Well THAT's a good idea. I have been thinking ahead to a trip next spring and wondering what I would do if, God forbid, the border still weren't open. I'm embarrassed to say this never occurred to me.

 

[pigletto]

Well hold the phone a minute .. this actually looks a little bit promising .. the following is a quote from a CP24 news article about the land border closure that I will link down below.

Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas, whose department oversees the U.S. border agency, acknowledged the growing frustration during a National Press Club event last week in Washington.

“We had hoped that by now, we would have opened up travel through the ports of entry, but regrettably, because of the Delta variant, we've been delayed in doing so,” Mayorkas said.

The restrictions now include language that make it possible to relax or lift the ban entirely before the start of the next 30-day window, he added.

“Because we've renewed it for 30 days does not necessarily mean that the restriction will last for another 30 days,” Mayorkas said. “We have the ability, of course, to ease it or to eliminate it sooner if the data suggests that we should.”

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/beta.cp24.com/news/2021/9/19/1_5591503.html

 

[pigletto]

So it’s really not saying when it will open but it’s the first open acknowledgment of the whys ( and yes the Mexico border is part of it ) , and it’s indicative that pressure is mounting . Overall the most encouraging part is that they’ve added provisions to change or relax the rules before 30 days is up. That doesn’t mean it will open soon but they are anticipating that it could at some point soon . This all makes me feel a bit better as the silence on the issue was starting to feel like it would go on forever.

 

[accm]

Well hold the phone a minute .. this actually looks a little bit promising .. the following is a quote from a CP24 news article about the land border closure that I will link down below.

Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas, whose department oversees the U.S. border agency, acknowledged the growing frustration during a National Press Club event last week in Washington.

“We had hoped that by now, we would have opened up travel through the ports of entry, but regrettably, because of the Delta variant, we've been delayed in doing so,” Mayorkas said.

The restrictions now include language that make it possible to relax or lift the ban entirely before the start of the next 30-day window, he added.

“Because we've renewed it for 30 days does not necessarily mean that the restriction will last for another 30 days,” Mayorkas said. “We have the ability, of course, to ease it or to eliminate it sooner if the data suggests that we should.”

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/beta.cp24.com/news/2021/9/19/1_5591503.html

I'm not holding my breath. I'm going to book a flight on Air Canada, and leave the Delta flight for now. If by some miracle the border opens by then, I'll cancel the AC flight.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

I think it will also coincide with our vaccine passport and the US figuring out how to manuveur with the proof of vaccination (they are not doing a passport, correct?)

 

[dvcdisney]

I think it will also coincide with our vaccine passport and the US figuring out how to manuveur with the proof of vaccination (they are not doing a passport, correct?)

I agree. I don't think the US has anything set up at the land border so a vaccine passport would be easy to show. I don't think they're interested in developing an app like ArriveCan in the near future.

I believe there are certain states which have vaccine cards. So I think they would rather just require a vaccine card with a passport for ease at the land border.

 

[Sue M]

I wonder how they will deal with AZ, mixed AZ/mRNA, or mixed mRNA (Moderna, Pfizer) vaccines. Especially now that they plan on opening up International travel When they start requiring proof of vaccine. I’m kind of concerned having a mix of mRNA I won’t be considered fully vaccinated by their standards.
The article @pigletto posted says fully vaccinated but US idea of fully vaccinated differs from ours.

 

[samsteele]

I wonder how they will deal with AZ, mixed AZ/mRNA, or mixed mRNA (Moderna, Pfizer) vaccines. Especially now that they plan on opening up International travel When they start requiring proof of vaccine. I’m kind of concerned having a mix of mRNA I won’t be considered fully vaccinated by their standards.

I wonder if this will quietly slip by as a non issue. ie I had AZ and Pfizer mix in Ontario and know that on my 2nd vax certificate (Pfizer) it just lists 'Pfizer-Biontech mnRNA' and then below 'You Have Received Two Valid Doses'. No mention of the earlier AZ shot. The airline may not care or take the time to ask beyond the face of that vax certificate when clearing me for boarding. Perhaps certificates of UK and German citizens are similar and don't mention the name of the other shot.

Will the US really want to delve into each tourist's vax history when the issuing home country doesn't draw attention to it? I guess US immigration in Pearson would have to ask that very pointed question. With everything else going on, will they bother? Guess we'll find out how it unfolds.

 

[ottawamom]

Hopeful point. I hope it works out as I'm in the same boat.

 

[hdrolfe]

For the cruiselines at least, they want to see both receipts. Even though the second one shows Pfizer they want to see that first one because they care about how far apart they are too.