It's Official: US Border to Remain Closed til At Least 21AUG

According to a renewal order published by the U.S. government today, its land border will remain closed until at least 21AUG.

CBC reports the news was pre-published in the U.S. Federal Register, just before the current order is set to expire today, 21JUL, and only days after Canada announced its own unilateral policy of allowing vaccinated Americans into Canada beginning 09AUG.

On its part, the American government recognizes the continued - and even growing - transmission rates within its own country.

"Given the outbreak and continued transmission and spread of COVID-19 within the United States and globally, the Secretary has determined that the risk of continued transmission and spread of the virus associated with COVID-19 between the United States and Canada poses an ongoing "specific threat to human life or national interests," the government wrote.

At the same time, it acknowledges that U.S. vaccination rates have improved, but said that opening the land border to non-essential travel still poses too high a risk.

The new order extends the border closure by another month and expires one minute before midnight on 21AUG.