After 20 months of restrictions, US reopens borders on Monday | Corona Virus

Separated families, shattered work relationships, frustrated career ambitions: the ‘travel ban’ imposed by then-President Donald Trump in early 2020, later confirmed by his successor Joe BidenThe turmoil caused by the epidemic has been exacerbated.

To protect himself from the countries hardest hit by the coronavirus, Trump quickly imposed travel restrictions on China in February 2020. Then, on March 13, it was the turn of European countries belonging to the Schengen area (a list of 26 countries) who formally abolished all passports and controls on their mutual border ).

The United Kingdom and Ireland were restricted a few days later, while the land borders with Mexico and Canada were nearly closed.

With all these countries, the intensity of human and economic exchanges is very intense.

“It was very difficult, I just want to see my son,” Alison Henry, a 63-year-old British woman who will travel on Monday (8) to meet her son in New York after 20 months of separation, told AFP.

Since last summer, it has been possible to travel from the United States to Europe, but foreigners who settled in the United States and held certain visas were not guaranteed their ability to return home.

To meet the expected increase in demand, airlines have increased the number of transatlantic flights and the size of aircraft.

The lifting of restrictions also represents an outlet for the aviation sector in crisis due to the epidemic.

Also along the massive Mexican border, countless American cities, in Texas or California, have suffered a severe economic shock and are anxiously awaiting a return to normal life.

For example, wealthy Canadian retirees can now, fearlessly, at the time of the first frost begin their annual drive to Florida and its climate delights.

For passengers arriving by plane, from Monday (8) the United States will require, in addition to a certificate of vaccination and a negative test for Covid taken in the three days prior to departure, the airlines to establish a contact tracing system.

For the land route, the restrictions will be lifted in two phases.

From Monday (8), people arriving in the country for reasons deemed nonessential, such as family or tourism, will be able to cross the Canada or Mexico borders, as long as they are vaccinated.

Those who do so for compelling reasons, for example truck drivers, will be exempted from this requirement.

But from January onwards, the vaccination requirement will apply to everyone crossing the land border, regardless of the reason for the trip.

US health officials have also indicated that all vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) will be accepted.

On the other hand, the World Health Organization is once again concerned about the “extremely alarming” transmission rate of Covid-19 in Europe, which could cause another half a million deaths on the continent by February.

This fourth wave hits mainly Germany, with which the Biden government is particularly cautious in its negotiations.

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