By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON -The United States on Monday extended restrictions at its land borders with Canada and Mexico through Oct. 21 that bar nonessential travel such as tourism by foreigners despite Ottawa's decision to open its border to vaccinated Americans.
Canada on Aug. 9 began allowing fully vaccinated U.S. visitors for nonessential travel. The United States has continued to extend the extraordinary restrictions on Canada and Mexico on a monthly basis since March 2020, when they were imposed to address the spread of COVID-19.
The latest monthly extension goes through Oct. 21, White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients told reporters Monday.
Zients said nearly all foreign nationals traveling to the United States by air will need to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination starting in early November.
He said "we do not have any updates to the land border policies at this point."
U.S. lawmakers have been pushing the White House to lift restrictions that have barred non-essential travel by Canadians across the northern U.S. border since March 2020.
The U.S. land border restrictions do not bar U.S. citizens from returning home.
Republican Montana Senator Steve Daines said Monday the White House's "continued refusal to open the northern border is inexplicable and is devastating Montana border communities and our economy."