HOULTON, Maine — With the world’s longest border having been closed for greater than a 12 months, the problem now’s how one can safely reopen with out exposing individuals to additional infections of COVID-19.
Within the province of New Brunswick, which borders Maine, lockdown measures have been significantly strict. Journey has been restricted from the U.S. even from these possessing twin citizenship or having household within the province.
One suggestion is instituting “vaccine passports” — a manner of certifying solely those that have been totally vaccinated in opposition to the virus for journey between the 2 nations.
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs stated on April 23 {that a} vaccine passport was one of many choices being mentioned, however that he was extra centered on bettering vaccination charges in New Brunswick. As of April 10, solely 17 p.c of New Brunswickers had obtained the COVID-19 vaccine, in comparison with greater than 40 p.c of Mainers.
“We’ve had some dialogue federally and in relation to my colleagues within the prime minister’s workplace in relation to vaccine passports,” Higgs stated. “However the actuality will probably be specializing in, can we get to some extent the place we have now equal vaccination ranges on either side of the border.”
A part of the disparity between the vaccination charges is the supply of vaccines to eligible individuals. America now permits anybody 16 or older to obtain a vaccine shot. In New Brunswick, solely individuals ages 65 and older within the basic inhabitants are allowed to obtain a shot. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has stated that the aim of all grownup Canadians receiving the vaccine must be met by the top of September 2021.
Higgs expressed some private hesitation about utilizing vaccine passports, preferring as a substitute to speed up the tempo of the vaccine rollout in Canada.
“Let’s hope it’s not crucial,” Higgs stated of the concept of vaccine passports. “I feel our focus is, let’s get the vaccines within the arms within the subsequent two months.”