Home / ECONOMICS / The reopening of the border will have positive economic impacts for border cities by the end of 2021

The reopening of the border will have positive economic impacts for border cities by the end of 2021

By: Dr. Alejandro Díaz-Bautista, Economist and research professor (Ph.D.).

  • The United States will reopen the border with Mexico and Canada in November 2021.
  • It will be open only to visitors fully vaccinated and with a visa.

The border of Mexico with the United States reopens in November 2021, after 19 months of land closure caused by the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.

The opening of the border between Mexico and the United States will bring together neighbors and relatives and will have a positive economic impact and relief for stores and businesses.

The Joe Biden administration will remove travel restrictions with Mexico and Canada beginning in November 2021 for fully vaccinated visitors, reopening the doors of the United States to foreign tourists and separating family members who have been left out of the country during the pandemic of Covid-19.

“The United States government decides to open its borders with Mexico and Canada for fully vaccinated people, after 19 months of land closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This reopening of the border will have positive economic impacts for the border cities,” said Dr. Alejandro Díaz-Bautista, international economist and research professor at El Colegio de la Frontera Norte (Colef).

Border communities have been affected due to the closure of ports of entry to the United States in 2020. Not only has there been a health crisis since 2020, but economic devastation for businesses and tourism in border cities.

The removal of the bans will effectively mark the reopening of the United States to travelers and tourists, signaling a new phase in the recovery from the pandemic after the country closed its land borders for nearly 19 months, which has affected the economy of border cities.

This opening of the border tries to normalize the border crossings of the North American countries. Let’s remember that the crossing between Tijuana and San Ysidro is the busiest in the world. Millions of pedestrians and cars cross annually at this border point.

The closure of the United States land border has been ongoing for 19 months, affecting the economy, tourism, commerce, business, and the contact of families living in this region on both sides of the Mexican border with the United States.

This opening not only refers to the terrestrial limits with its two neighboring nations but is also a further step to completely lift the restrictions on travelers of other nationalities who are already fully vaccinated.

A similar easing is planned for the same month on international air routes. 19 months of unprecedented restrictions on ground transportation of people between the United States, Canada, and Mexico ended. A measure to curb the Covid-19 pandemic, but which caused profound damage to local and regional economies, such as in San Ysidro, California.

The Department of Homeland Security indicated that the Administration is creating consistent and strict protocols for all foreign nationals who travel to the United States, whether by air, land, or ferry. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explained that the United States will accept travelers who have been fully inoculated with any of the vaccines approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization.

Not only those that are used in the United States. Unlike air travel, for which negative results on a Covid-19 diagnostic test are required before boarding a flight bound for that country, tests will not be required for entry by land or sea, as long as the people meet the vaccination requirement.

The border between the United States and Mexico will open in November 2021. This is for Mexicans and foreigners with a visa who can prove that they have their complete vaccination scheme. It is worth mentioning that many Mexicans have received vaccines that are not authorized by WHO, such as Sputnik V, developed in Russia, or CanSino from China.

However, increased social interaction in late 2021 and the relaxation of health restrictions may spike cases and bring a new wave of Covid-19. The coexistence of the flu and Covid-19 can complicate the health scenario due to the diagnostic difficulty and the risk of co-infection in late 2021 and early 2022.

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