Due to the ongoing rise of COVID-19 stateside, the border between US and Canada will remain closed to non-essential travel until at least August 21.
Several US and Canadian news outlets reported the situation, with the US setting new records for cases and deaths, and at least one poll showing that Canadians are in no rush to re-open.
Canada will step-up enforcement and surveillance at its land borders in the coming weeks, CNN reports.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also announced that irregular border crossers will be sent back to US authorities upon reaching the Canadian border.
The US-Canada border is the longest demilitarized international border in the world – having peaceful allies and trading partners in North America. The U.S Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) are primarily responsible for facilitating legal passage through the border – officially known as the ‘International Boundary’.
The border was established in September 1783 and currently there are 119 legal land border crossings between the United States and Canada – 21% of which take place at a bridge or tunnel.
In 2019, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported that over 6,016,227 persons crossed the US-Canada border at Detroit, while 5,762,48 persons successfully crossed the Buffalo-Niagara falls border.
The volume of trade across the international boundary has plunged as Trucks carried approximately $38.5b of North American freight in April 2020, down 40.8% from trade value as at April 2019.
Border closures and lockdown measures across the globe have been implemented and enforced to cushion the impact of COVID-19.
The Tourism sector is currently one of the hardest-hit by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease. A focus on Global Tourism particularly on key destinations including China, United States, Italy, and France reveal otherwise firm alliances unusually tested by the deadly virus.
In Africa, otherwise pliant developing countries who have -in the past – welcome travellers from developed countries have instituted unprecedented travel bans against travellers from more economically advanced countries.
Alliances have also been frayed beyond all peacetime expectations and historical experience. Barely six months ago, it would have been unthinkable that the U.S blue passport could become an anathema in the European Union.
COVID-19 response in the U.S has however been criticized greatly for its political undertones as this undermines science, and critically, expert advice.
When compared to Canada, there are nearly twice as many confirmed COVID-19 deaths per capita in the U.S. While Canada has reported over 8,500 deaths directly resulting from COVID-19, the U.S has recorded over 138,000 deaths – leading the world in overall COVID-19 deaths.
The US earlier announced successful phase 1 trials of a COVID-19 vaccine; however, other restrictions at the US-Canada border take effect at midnight.
