The U.S. White House announced on Monday that the United States will lift Covid-19 travel restrictions starting in early November, allowing vaccinated passengers from the United Kingdom and most EU countries to enter the United States. In addition to the UK and Europe's 26 Schengen countries, the easing of restrictions will also apply to Ireland, China, Iran, Brazil, South Africa and India. Outside analysts said that this move marked the end of the travel ban implemented by Donald Trump more than 18 months ago in the early stages of the epidemic. However, the epidemic in the United States is still serious, with average daily infections exceeding 170,000 and average daily deaths exceeding 1,800. The outside world has questioned whether the United States' move will help the world's anti-epidemic efforts. If it were you, would you dare to go?
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (Boris Johnson) welcomed the move, saying on Twitter, "This is a huge boost for business and trade, and it's great that families and friends on both sides of the Atlantic can be reunited again." Downing Street also praised the move The decision was the result of a bilateral "travel taskforce" which has been meeting every fortnight since the summer, but it was unable to say what benefits it had brought as the easing of restrictions would not only apply to the UK but also to many others nation.
Under current policy, only U.S. citizens, immediate family members, green card holders and those who have been in the United Kingdom or the European Union (EU) in the past two weeks can enter the United States. In response to the new policy that will take effect in November, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeff Zients said on Monday that international travelers will need to provide adequate proof of vaccination before boarding and 72 days after departure. A negative coronavirus test is required within hours, and they will not need to quarantine upon arrival.
There will be some exceptions to the vaccine policy, including children who are not yet eligible for vaccination, and the new rules do not yet apply to travelers crossing the Mexico and Canadian borders. Jeff Zients told reporters, "This new international travel system follows scientific principles to ensure the safety of Americans and international air travel. By requiring foreign citizens to be fully vaccinated before flying to the United States and enforcing additional With strict security protocols, we will protect Americans at home and enhance security on international travel, with an approach that is based on individuals, not countries." Jeff Zients,
Zients also added that the new policy will take effect in "early November," giving airlines and travel partners time to prepare to implement the new protocols. In addition, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will issue a contact tracing order requiring airlines to collect phone numbers, email addresses and other information from travelers traveling to the United States, Zients explained, "This will Enables the CDC and state and local public health officials to track incoming travelers and those around them in case anyone may Exposed to Covid-19 patient.
The changes will be part of a new U.S. travel system, including updated contact tracing and masking rules, which will mean unvaccinated Americans will face more stringent testing, the analysis said. Require.
Previously, the United States had imposed restrictions on visitors from many countries, but there was no clear measurement of how and when these restrictions would be lifted. In April, Joe Biden added new restrictions on India, barred most non-US citizens from entering the United States, and reversed Trump's plans to lift restrictions on European countries. That has caused growing discontent in Europe, especially after its vaccination rate recovered from a slow start to surpass that of the United States. Airlines have also tried unsuccessfully to persuade the White House to lift restrictions for the summer travel season.
Biden may face new pressure when he comes face to face with Johnson and other European leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week. According to the British Foreign Office, before the outbreak of COVID-19, approximately 3.8 million British citizens traveled to the United States every year. Dame Karen Pearce, UK Ambassador to Washington, said: “Today’s travel announcement is great news for families and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.We thank the United States for recognizing the progress the UK has made in the fight against Covid-19, including high vaccination rates and falling cases. She added: “This decision means more Britons can reunite with loved ones in the US, more British holidaymakers can spend their hard-earned pounds on US tourism, and more business activity. It can boost the economies of both our countries. "
In response to outside speculation that "this policy change is to appease Europe," a U.S. State Department official categorically denied it. Previously, the United States and France had a dispute over the AUKUS submarine transaction, The United States negotiated the deal without France's knowledge, prompting France to recall its ambassador to the United States. "This is really driven by the science of the COVID-19 pandemic," said Erica Backus-Lagos, a senior official at the U.S. Bureau of International Organizations. , as more and more people around the world are vaccinated, we certainly hope that people will be able to travel more freely. "
However, the epidemic in the United States has not been fundamentally alleviated. Outsiders doubt whether the opening up of the United States will have a negative impact on the world's efforts to fight the new crown epidemic. According to Associated Press report, the coronavirus pandemic in the United States has reached its peak in winter level, erased with the coronavirus Months of progress have been made with the release of the vaccine.
650,000 white flags are hung on the National Mall in Washington to commemorate the victims of COVID-19.
The number of infections in the United States has exceeded 42.28 million, and the death toll has exceeded 670,000. There are still an average of 1,800 people dying from COVID-19 every day in the United States, and there are 170,000 new cases every day. In January of this year, the United States had an average of 3,400 deaths every day, and an average of 250,000 infections every day, and the scenes across the United States sound similar. Reports were similar last winter, with cases rising in states like Kentucky, Georgia and Tennessee as kids returned to school. Across the country, a desperate need for hospital beds plagued the nation. .
