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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, discourages travel to Canada from the United States, say even those who are fully vaccinated could become infected and spread COVID-19 variants.
The CDC rates COVID-19 travel alerts from level 1 (low) to level 4 (very high) and has labeled Canada as a level 4 danger zone.
- Travelers should avoid all trips to Canada.
- Due to the current situation in Canada, even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk of obtaining and disseminating COVID-19 variants and should avoid all travel to Canada.
- If you must travel to Canada, get fully vaccinated before traveling. All travelers should wear a mask, stay 6 feet from others, avoid congestion, and wash their hands.
The CDC warning comes just after U.S. Representatives Michelle Fischbach and Pete Stauber, both Minnesota Republicans, encouraged the reopening of the Canadian border because of the impact the closure has had on Minnesota. economy.
Canada closed its border with the United States to non-essential travelers in March 2020. More recently, emergency regulations were issued requiring anyone entering the country to be quarantined for 14 days (some exceptions), provide contact information and monitor for symptoms of COVID-19. .
The ban on traveling to Canada unnecessarily from the United States is in effect until April 21, although it could be extended.
Border restrictions between Minnesota and Canada are more difficult for people living in the northwest corner, the northernmost point of the contiguous United States, where about 120 year-round residents and a dozen resorts live. It can only be reached by land, only 40 miles by car through Manitoba, Canada, and two international border crossings.
During the winter, the residents of the corner built a 30-kilometer ice road in the forest lake to get in and out, but now that spring has arrived, the ice road no longer exists, it is effectively the residents of ground until restrictions are lifted.
How serious is COVID-19 in Canada?
As in America, it varies depending on where outbreaks occur. According to CBC News, Ontario is expected to begin a four-week closure on Thursday that will allow all non-essential businesses to close.
Toronto and Ottawa medical officials have urged provincial leaders to issue a stay-at-home order, while Toronto area schools have switched to distance education.
Ontario borders the U.S. from Minnesota in the east, across the Great Lakes to the Ohio Valley. The other Canadian province bordering Minnesota is Manitoba, where health officials are concerned that an Easter weekend meeting will feed a third wave driven by variants.
Meanwhile, a variant-driven peak is also occurring in the westernmost province of Canada, British Columbia, where variants B.1.1.7 and P.1 lead to an increase in the level of cases. Both variants are more contagious and capable of causing more serious illnesses.
B.1.1.7 is now the dominant strain in Minnesota, which was also the first U.S. state to use genomic sequencing to confirm a case of P.1. Since last week, the state health department had only confirmed three cases of P.1 in Minnesota.
What is the essential trip to Canada?
The following requirements qualify as essential travel at the request of Canada:
- Work-related travel. A cross-border worker must cross the border periodically to go to their normal place of work and demonstrate a regular travel pattern, which is usually defined as daily or weekly.
- Trade and commerce, including truck drivers
- Medical purposes, such as buying commodities, such as medications, or products needed to preserve a person’s or family’s health and safety
- Emergency response and public health purposes
- Cross-border trade
- People engaged in operations or travel related to the military
- Alaska residents can travel across Canada to return home to Alaska. They should be prepared to present a compelling case, so bring supporting documentation such as a passport, Alaska driver’s license, utility bills, and so on. They are also asked to limit stops along the way.