A White House official said the Biden administration is taking the first steps toward mandating almost all foreign travelers to the United States to be vaccinated against the COVID-19. The Biden administration has maintained travel restrictions that have significantly hampered foreign travels to the United States, citing the development of the virus' delta variant.
Non-U.S. residents are barred from entering the US if they have visited Ireland, Brazil, South Africa, China, the European Schengen areas, the United Kingdom, or India in the previous 14 days, according to the guidelines. Regardless of vaccination status, all United States visitors must confirm a negative COVID-19 test performed within three days of arrival.
Official claims the US plans to eliminate travel restrictions
The requirement would be part of the administration's gradual strategy to relax travel restrictions for foreign travelers. As interagency working parties investigate how and when to resume routine travel safely, no timeframe has been set. With rare exclusions, all foreign individuals entering the nation are expected to be vaccinated against COVID-19 at some point, AP News via MSN reported.
According to a White House official, the action is part of a plan to gradually eliminate travel restrictions that prevent much of the globe from visiting the United States. Because of the growing COVID-19 caseload, the White House is not ready to relax travel restrictions immediately.
Per Daily Mail, concerns have been raised worldwide regarding the virus' more infectious Delta variant. According to the official, the Biden administration is putting together interagency working groups to get a new system ready for when travel can resume.
The plan contains a phased strategy that, over time, will require foreign visitors going to the United States from all nations to be fully vaccinated, with a few exclusions. Jen Psaki, White House press secretary, was questioned on Tuesday about why unvaccinated people from other areas of the globe were permitted to enter the U.S. while vaccinated people from Europe and other prohibited nations were not.
During her visit to the White House last month, German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated that one sticking point is that countries do not want to have to shut down travel after it has been allowed.
Travelers from these countries will still be banned to enter the US
U.S. non-citizens from China, Iran, most of Europe, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Brazil, South Africa, and India are now barred from entering the nation. The border restrictions, such as those placed on the EU, the United Kingdom, and China, have not been revised since the pandemic began in March 2020.
Biden has been under increasing pressure from travel industry groups and members of his party to repeal the restriction. The United Kingdom said on Monday that fully vaccinated visitors from the United States and the European Union would be able to return without being quarantined for ten days.
In June, the European Union reopened its borders to American visitors. The Biden administration has resisted the creation of any vaccination passport for Americans. Instead, the White House pressures local governments and companies to require vaccinations for their employees and consumers.
The Biden administration has been under criticism from impacted allies, the airline industry, and families who have been separated from loved ones due to the measures. Many people have protested that the travel restrictions don't represent the current viral situation, especially because caseloads in the United States are higher than in many banned countries, as per WSLS.
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