After 17 months of closure to help slow the spread of COVID-19, the Canadian border was recently opened to Americans. This was great news to the thousands of people who have family in the country or come regularly for business, as well as to the stores in cross-border communities and the touristic destinations like Niagara Falls, that receive a great number of American visitors each year.
Even though the reopening of the border means that people can now reunite with their loved ones and small businesses along the border will now be able to resume their commercial activities, after losing millions of dollars due to the absence of foreign customers; there's no doubt that many people are wondering what the future of COVID-19 will look like for Canadians in this new chapter.
The reality is that the reopening of the border is a decision that comes with some risks, especially when cases of COVID-19 are increasing once again in both countries thanks to the Delta variant, which has proven to be more contagious than previous variants, according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the USA), and it has been said that it is more resistant to vaccines. This means that the virus could come across the border in the body of a vaccinated person who has yet to show symptoms and is testing a false negative.
Related: Are Disinfectant Sprayers Allowed In Flight?
It is also important to consider that the United States doesn’t have the same border controls as Canada, which means that American citizens entering the country could have been in contact with people from around the world before travelling to Canada, or could have travelled themselves to a foreign country before returning to the US and then entering Canada, which means they are at much more risks of infection and spread. Added to this, let's not forget that the government is considering opening the border to citizens of other countries in September.
Fortunately, the federal government has set several ground rules for foreigners crossing the border, including having received all required doses of a COVID-19 vaccine approved by Health Canada (Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, or Johnson & Johnson) at least two weeks before their trip, and providing a negative COVID-19 test result. Of course, as we just said, there’s still a chance for unknowingly infected people to enter the country, but these measures certainly reduce them by a lot.
So, what can Canadians do to protect themselves from the virus now that the borders are open? Stay vigilant and keep taking measures to protect themselves and others.
The opening of the borders and the traveler exemption that has been granted to fully vaccinated Americans to enter Canada without having to quarantine doesn’t mean the pandemic is over; it just means that the country has reached certain vaccination milestones that have made the federal government comfortable with the level of protection the country has.
With this in mind, people should continue to practice good hygiene and to keep their spaces properly disinfected to control the spread of COVID-19, as well as other viruses and bacteria. Wearing masks indoors and practicing social distancing is also advised.
Additionally, Canadians should know that the federal government is still asking people to avoid non-essential travel outside the country for a reason, and it's that this traveling is one of the easiest ways for someone to increase their exposure to COVID-19 and its variants. Added to that, catching the virus abroad makes it impossible for health authorities to conduct any kind of contact tracing, which leads to a bigger spread.
Read More: Disinfecting and Sanitizing After a COVID-19 Vaccine
In closing, the future of COVID-19 is still uncertain, but it's clear that it is not over yet. This means that now more than ever since the borders were opened, people should continue making efforts to protect themselves and others by getting vaccinated, practicing social distancing, and maintaining themselves and their spaces disinfected and sanitized at all times. At the end of the day, when it comes to viruses, there's no doubt that hygiene is one of the best ways to keep them at bay.
Our recommendation:
At Disinfect & Fog, we have been working with business owners and families since the beginning of the pandemic to help them find the best disinfection and sanitation products and equipment for their particular needs.
If you too need help with your disinfecting process or are interested in upgrading your cleaning routine, looking to save time and gain efficiency, feel free to contact us or go ahead and check out our product section.