Aug. 10 2021 Canadian borders are open to fully vaccinated Americans from Monday (August 9), local time, and travelers and permanent residents from the United States are lining up to enter Canada, Canadian media reported.
With the influx of Americans, Canadian experts worry about reopening borders too soon or speeding up the spread of mutated strains within Canada.
According to Canadian regulations, would-be immigrants must complete the coronavirus vaccine approved by the Canadian government at least 14 days in advance and hold proof that the coronavirus virus tested negative within three days of entry, according to Canada’s Global News Network.
In addition, prospective immigrants are required to download the designated mobile phone application before entering Canada, fill in personal information and upload relevant documents such as vaccination certificates.
Persons who meet the above conditions do not need to be quarantined upon entry into Canada. Hundreds of cars lined up at the border on Monday morning after the rules came into effect. Some Canadian health experts question whether this is the best time to reopen.
Julia Zarb, a professor at the University of Toronto, says that while Canada has opened its borders with the United States, it cannot really predict how many people will come, let alone how the mutated strain will spread as more people cross the border.
Currently, the CDC says less than 50 percent of Americans are fully vaccinated, and 58.2 percent are partially vaccinated. In response, Omar Khan, a professor at the University of Toronto, worries that opening borders too early increases the chances of transmitting the Delta variant to unvaccinated people and could put children at risk, especially as they return to school.
Currently, Canadian data show that the Delta variant accounts for 78.1 per cent of cases in the country. But nationwide, the average number of confirmed cases for three consecutive days exceeded 100,000, up 35 percent from the past week.
Last week, the number of coronavirus pandemic cases in the United States increased by 40 percent and the number of coronavirus deaths increased by 18 percent.
