Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on Sunday

The latest:

More than a year and a half after COVID-19 concerns prompted the United States to close its borders to international travellers from countries including Brazil, China, India, South Africa, the United Kingdom and much of Europe, restrictions are shifting to focus on vaccine status.

Beginning Monday, bans on travel from specific countries are over. The U.S. will allow in international travellers, but they must be vaccinated — with a few exceptions.

The U.S. is also reopening its land borders with Canada and Mexico for people who are vaccinated.

Air travellers will need to show proof of vaccination on arrival in the U.S. and will still need to show a pre-departure negative COVID-19 test taken within three days of boarding their flight.

WATCH | U.S. border reopening to all vaccinated Canadians on Monday:

Non-essential travellers crossing at a land border will be required to show proof of vaccination or attest to their vaccination status upon request by a border agent. Unlike air travellers, they will face no requirement to show a negative COVID-19 test.

But when returning to Canada, recreational travellers must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of their return flight or planned arrival at the land border.

Canada will only accept a molecular test — such as a PCR test — which can cost hundreds of dollars. 

Children under 18 won't need to be vaccinated, but they do need to take a pre-entry COVID-19 test before entering the U.S. Kids who are two and younger are exempt from testing requirements.

Canada is still requiring all travellers five years of age and older who are entering the country to provide proof of a negative test, regardless of their point of entry.

As for which vaccines will let someone into the U.S., it's any COVID-19 vaccine approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization, which include the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines used in the U.S., as well as most used overseas, such as AstraZeneca and China's Sinovac. Not currently allowed is Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, which is authorized in 70 countries. The WHO is reviewing Sputnik but hasn't approved it.

As of Sunday, more than 249.7 million cases of COVID-19 had been reported worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University's coronavirus tracker. The reported global death toll stood at more than five million.

In Europe, officials in Greece are now restricting access to cafés, restaurants, state services and banks to those who are either vaccinated against COVID-19 or have a negative test.