Erie County Legislator Minority Leader Joe Lorigo is calling on Erie County officials to work with the state, the federal governments of both Canada and the United States and the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to allow the County to host a vaccination clinic for Canadian citizens in Erie County.

The United States and Canadian border has been shut down to non-essential travel since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Right now, Canadian citizens could be denied entry to the United States for a COVID-19 vaccination, even with doctor’s orders, because CBP ultimately have the right of refusal to any Canadian citizen attempting to enter the United States. CBP has said in recent days they do not consider travel for the sole purpose of obtaining a vaccination as being permissible under current travel restrictions.

CBP does say that people are allowed to receive a vaccination in the United States if they enter the country for legitimate travel reasons, and the vaccination is incidental to the larger purpose of their trip.

The proposed vaccination clinic would allow the county to host a clinic solely for Canadian citizens with pre-planned dates and times and would require Customs and Border Protection to consider the vaccine essential for entry.

On a map of vaccinations by location, 46 percent of Canadians have one dose and only four percent are fully vaccinated. Here in the United States, 38 percent of Americans are fully vaccinated. Legislator Lorigo’s request supports’ Congressman Brian Higgins’ recent letter to federal officials pushing for “essential traveler” status to be granted to Canadians getting a vaccine in the United States (Buffalo News: Higgins: Let Canadians come to NY for vaccinations).

Canadian Citizen Brittney Pettigrew said, “It has been extremely difficult to have access to a vaccine here in Ontario, Canada. It is beyond frustrating to know that there is a surplus just across the border that we could potentially have access to. The Canadian-U.S. Border has been closed since March 2020, this vaccination clinic could be a huge step to opening it back up. I have been separated from my family in the States for 14 months now, and I strongly believe a vaccination clinic would help get our numbers down in Canada and jump-start border reopening.”

Legislator Lorigo said, “Our friends to the North are having issues getting vaccinated. Here in Erie County, we have an abundance of vaccines—let’s work together and help them. It’s time we think out of the box and do something to help get our borders opened back up. Not only are families forced to be apart, but the economy is suffering. This would be a step in the right direction when it comes to opening the U.S. – Canadian border. I support Congressman Higgins’ push to ease travel restrictions and hope the County can work to setup a weekend vaccine clinic for Canadians in the near future.”