Canadians can get vaccinated in the U.S. and avoid quarantine
Kilometre-long queues of cars line up at the border.
Public Health Canada has confirmed that residents can travel to the United States across the land border to get vaccinated against COVID-19 there.
The Canada-US land border remains closed for non-essential travel, but vaccination is considered a valid reason along with receiving medical services. Moreover, Canadians will not have to comply with a 14-day quarantine upon their return. Instead, travellers will have to keep a list of people they have had contact with and places they have visited for 14 days.
However, in order to make such a trip, you will need a certificate that the vaccination is medically necessary, as well as written confirmation from the U.S. organization that conducted the vaccination. There is another rule: you must travel in your own car, but may be accompanied by a companion. You may not stop anywhere; the trip must only be to and from the vaccination site.
This will help many Canadians who live in border towns finally get vaccinated. Although the supply of vaccines to Canada is increasing, some areas are still experiencing shortages while restrictions remain in place.
Canadians have long vaccinated in the US on their own initiative. In the absence of a certificate, it is possible to fly to the States by plane. The quarantine upon return doesn't scare residents. And on Tuesday, May 18, a line of cars lined up at the Alberta border with people wanting to get vaccinated in Montana. The line stretched for more than a mile. There were people flying in from other Canadian provinces to cross the border for immunizations.
