US announces to lift travel restrictions for vaccinated passengers from November

On Monday, the United States has announced to lift Covid travel restriction from November on all air passengers who are fully vaccinated. Jeffrey Zients, coronavirus response coordinator for President Joe Biden, told reporters the new "consistent approach" would take effect from "early November."

Earlier, in 2020, the Former president Donald Trump had imposed the travel ban on international travellers from entering the US at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

During a virtual conference, Jeff Zients said, "Today we're announcing a new international air travel system. This new system includes strict protocols to prevent the spread of Covid-19 from passengers flying into the United States, protecting Americans and making international air travel safer." 

Further, he added, "Most importantly, beginning in early November, foreign nationals flying to the United States will be required to be fully vaccinated and they must show proof of vaccination prior to boarding a US bound airplane."

On being asked about the quarantine requirements and travel restrictions from countries like India, Brazil, United Kingdom, China, Iran and South Africa, Zients said, "It will require for nationals to be vaccinated, to prove they're vaccinated, and then to go to the testing and contract tracing regimens." 

Zients also said that passengers will need to show that they were fully vaccinated before boarding planes bound for the United States, as well as providing proof of a negative Covid-19 test taken within three days.

However, Americans who are not fully vaccinated will still be able to enter, but only on testing negative within a day of travel. Masks will be mandatory on US-bound flights, and airlines will provide the US health authorities with contact tracing information. 

"This new international travel system follows the science to keep Americans' international air travel safe," Zients said.

In an interview in Washington with AFP, Thierry Breton, European commissioner for internal market, said that he was hopeful the policy will be extended to include the AstraZeneca shot used by many European nations, which has not been approved by US health authorities. Breton said he spoke with Zients, who "sounded positive and optimistic."