President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that the U.S. would temporarily close its northern border with Canada over coronavirus fears.
Trump tweeted that the move, approved by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, would be temporary and only impact “non-essential traffic.”
“Trade will not be affected,” he clarified. (RELATED: A Pandemic Primary: How Coronavirus Will Change The Election For Trump, Biden, Bernie And The Voters)
We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected. Details to follow!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2020
The move comes after two Canadian provinces declared states of emergency over a growing number of coronavirus cases. Trudeau’s wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, tested positive for coronavirus just days prior. Trudeau announced Sunday that Canada would close its borders to all non-residents, with the exception of the U.S.
“We can still slow the spread of this virus,” he said at the time. “It is time to take every precaution to keep people safe.”
The U.S. had previously halted travel for all foreign nationals who had recently visited Europe in order to stop the spread of the pandemic. Despite announcing the opposite in his national address last Wednesday, the travel restrictions do not apply to economic cargo. The U.S. also previously closed travel to China, Iran, and other countries dealing with high numbers of coronavirus cases.
This is a developing story and will be updated with information as it becomes available.