U.S. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have agreed to close the border between the United States and Canada to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The border will be closed to all non-essential traffic, reports CNBC. Ongoing discussions will determine what vehicles and people will still be allowed to travel, according to CNN. The U.S.-Canada border is the longest dividing line between two countries.
President Trump announced the news on Twitter:
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
Trudeau announced the closed border at a press conference, saying: “I just spoke to President Trump again this morning, and we have agreed that both Canada and the United States will temporarily restrict all non-essential travel across the Canada-U.S. border.”
Meanwhile, Trump is enacting the Defense Production Act, which will help accelerate the production of equipment necessary to combat and treat COVID-19 in the U.S. This includes masks and protective gear, reports Reuters.
Trump is also working to approve a $1 trillion stimulus package, which may include a payment of $1,000 for each American.
The stimulus package would also include $45.8 billion to put toward sanitizing airports, creating and purchasing protective equipment for federal officials, and strengthening cyber defenses.
