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Fully vaccinated people from foreign countries, including the European Union and the United Kingdom, will be allowed to travel into the United States starting Nov. 8, the White House said Friday.
“This announcement and date applies to both international air travel and land travel. This policy is guided by public health, stringent, and consistent,” Kevin Munoz, the White House assistant press secretary, tweeted Friday.
Last month, the White House said the restrictions would be eased in early November but didn’t provide a specific date. The White House had said visitors would be required to show proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test taken within 3 days of departure.
European nations, as well as airlines, had lobbied the White House to loosen restrictions, noting that many countries in the EU had already lifted limits on nonessential travel by Americans.
CNN, citing an unnamed White House official, reported that further guidance will be issued before Nov. 8.
“CDC has already informed airlines that all FDA approved and authorized vaccines, as well as all vaccines that have an Emergency Use Listing (EUL) from the WHO will be accepted for air travel. We anticipate the same will be true at the land border,” the official said.
The same rules will be applied to all essential and nonessential travelers at the U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico, CNN reported.
The rules will toughen for U.S. citizens who are unvaccinated. They will need to test 1 day before departure and then test again after arrival.
The travel restrictions were put into place by the Trump administration in 2020 and prevented most noncitizens from entering the United States for tourism or other nonessential reasons.
The Biden administration has upheld the restrictions, even as other nations relaxed their own travel rules.
In July, the Biden administration decided against easing the rules because of the rapid spread of the Delta variant.
Sources
CNN: “White House says fully vaccinated foreign visitors can start entering US on November 8.”
Twitter: @KMunoz46, Oct. 15, 2021.
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