With U.S. border to soon reopen, Okanagan snowbirds preparing to head south

The announcement will allow fully vaccinated Canadians to enter the U.S. regardless of the reason for travel without a COVID-19 test.

News of the Canada-U.S. border reopening next month has Okanagan snowbirds excited after nearly two years of not being able to head south.

Earlier this week, U.S. officials announced plans to reopen the land border to fully vaccinated Canadians on Nov. 8, without requiring a negative COVID test.

“It’s almost like getting your first vaccine, it’s a huge weight off our shoulders,” said Okanagan resident Wendy Caban.

Caban and her husband travel every year to Arizona to visit their summer home, something they’ve not been able to do since March 2020, when the border closed.

However, Caban says even though they’ll head south this year, it won’t be as soon as the border is open.

“We’re not going to go across the border on the eighth when it opens because I think there will be craziness,” she said.

“But we will sort of monitor it and when the rush slows down, we’ll go then.”

The announcement will allow fully vaccinated Canadians to enter the U.S. regardless of the reason for travel and without a COVID test.