WASHINGTON D.C. — President Biden has announced requirements for all essential, non-resident travelers crossing U.S. land borders.

This decision includes truck drivers, government and emergency response officials and would require them to be fully vaccinated beginning on Jan. 22. 

A senior administration official said the requirement brings rules for essential travelers in line with those that took effect earlier this month for leisure travelers, when the U.S. reopened its borders to fully vaccinated individuals.

Essential travelers entering by ferry will also be required to be fully vaccinated.

The rules pertain to non-U.S. nationals as American citizens and permanent residents may still enter the U.S. regardless of their vaccination status, but do face additional testing hurdles.

The later deadline is beyond the point by which the Biden administration hopes to have large businesses require their employees to be vaccinated or tested weekly under an emergency regulation issued by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration. While that rule is now delayed by litigation, the White House is encouraging businesses to implement their own mandates regardless of the federal requirement with the aim of boosting vaccination rates.

According to the CDC, about 47 million adults in the U.S. remain unvaccinated.