An unprecedented journey in times of Covid-19: after almost a year and a half of closure due to the pandemic, the first Americans vaccinated were able to cross the land border between the United States and Canada on Monday.

"We are so happy to be back," exclaims, all smiles, Vicki Poulin behind the wheel. 

"I thought there would be more cars on the road but to my surprise the trip went very well", says this resident of Queensbury (New York), who had not set foot in Quebec since March 2020, when the border - the longest in the world - was closed for non-essential travel due to the pandemic.

At the Lacolle border post in the east of the country, this one-way reopening of the border does not attract crowds.

The first travelers only wait a few minutes to enter Canadian soil: the time to present proof of their vaccination, dating from at least 14 days, and the result of a negative test, documents required to enter. 

A reopening in full resurgence of the Delta variant

The reopening of the border, decided on July 19 by the government of Justin Trudeau, comes at a time when the United States and Canada are facing a new upsurge in cases of Covid-19 caused by the highly contagious Delta variant. 

South of the border, half of the population is fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

In Canada, the rates are also very high and even higher, according to public health authorities, 81% of Canadians have received their first dose and 68% are fully immunized.

“I left at 1 am and there was no one on the road.

No need to brake!

», Rejoices Richard Antaki, a New Yorker very happy to be back in Canada to visit friends.

“It's been 17 months since I came to Montreal and I normally come ten times a year.

I love Montreal.

I lived here for ten years a long time, ”says the octogenarian who has already planned to return in September.

Canada, which has completely closed its borders to tourists since the start of the pandemic, has planned for its part to allow vaccinated travelers from around the world to return from September 7, if the epidemiological situation "remains favorable" - then that the United States have just advised their nationals not to travel to France. 

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