The US will start easing its COVID19 restrictions by November. By then, the US will start accepting fully vaccinated international travelers from the UK, EU, and other countries. Travelers will need to show proof of vaccination, a negative COVID19 test taken within three days, and present contact information. There is no need to quarantine if the traveler can meet all the requirements.
Welcoming Fully Vaccinated International Travelers
The US imposed tough restrictions on travelers from different parts of the world when the pandemic started. Regarding the new travel rules, White House COVID19 coordinator Jeff Zients announced on Monday: “This is based on individuals rather than a country-based approach so it’s a stronger system”.
He added that “Most importantly, foreign nationals flying to the US will be required to be fully vaccinated”.
However, it is still not clear whether the new rules will only accept US-approved vaccines. According to Zients, the US Centers for Disease Control will give an update soon. Also, there are still no details whether or not travelers aged 12-18 years old who only had one jab of AstraZeneca would be allowed.
Under current rules, foreign travelers can’t enter the US if they’ve been in certain countries in the last 14 days. This includes the UK, some European countries, China, Brazil, India, South Africa, and Iran. However, some European countries allow fully vaccinated US travelers to enter.
Land Borders Remain Closed
The new rule will only apply to air travel. Land borders shared with Canada and Mexico remain closed.
Recently, US senators appealed to the White House to allow fully vaccinated Canadians to cross the land borders. Lawmakers in the letter asked why fully vaccinated Canadians are allowed to fly to the US but not allowed to drive across the border. They wrote, “We struggle to understand the public health rationale for the disparate treatment in modes of travel”.
