Despite Canada, the UK, and the EU opening up their borders to Americans, the U.S. government says they won’t be reciprocating anytime soon.
U.S. Foreign Travel Restrictions Will Remain In Place
The U.S. put on a ban on foreign travelers from the EU, UK, and other countries in March 2020 after the pandemic began, which has not yet been removed despite immense pressure from outside groups.
Earlier this summer, the Whitehouse announced they were forming an expert working group who would look at resuming international travel with Canada, Mexico, the EU, and the UK.
However, this week a Whitehouse official reported that they will not lift any existing travel restrictions in the foreseeable future due to concerns regarding the highly transmissible Covid-19 Delta variant, which is causing new restrictions globally.
According to Reuters, senior White House officials had a meeting late Friday where they decided the rising number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. would mean existing foreign travel restrictions would remain in place.
“Given where we are today … with the delta variant, we will maintain existing travel restrictions at this point for a few reasons,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at a press briefing Monday.
“The more transmissible delta variant is spreading both here and around the world. Driven by the delta variant, cases are rising here at home, particularly among those who are unvaccinated and appear likely to continue in the weeks ahead.”
The delta variant now accounts for about 83% of Covid-19 cases in the U.S. and has led to a spike in cases in the last two weeks, causing some states to reimpose their mask mandates.
Despite rising cases, the UK just proposed that they would remove quarantine restrictions on U.S and E.U tourists in a bid to save its tourism industry. While many were hoping for a UK-US travel corridor this summer, it looks like it will only be one-way.
Similarly, most European countries have opened up their doors to American travelers, some even accepting unvaccinated travelers.
Canada also recently announced that they would allow vaccinated American tourists in as of August 9th. Still, just days after, the U.S. decided to extend the land border closure with Canada and Mexico for another month until August 21st.
However, both Mexicans and Canadians can travel to the United States via plane with a negative Covid-19 test. EU and UK citizens remain banned, along with these other countries.
While the UK and EU are open to American travelers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently said that Americans should avoid travel to the United Kingdom because of a spike in coronavirus cases, issuing a level 4 warning along with Spain and Portugal.
When Will The U.S. Drop The Travel Ban?
When Psaki was asked if the government would drop travel restrictions if airlines adopted vaccine passports or vaccine mandates, she said there are “ongoing working groups” focused on how to reopen international travel into the U.S.
“There are a range of topics in those discussions that are ongoing,” Psaki said.
“The president receives regular briefings on them, but we rely on public health and medical advice on when we’re going to determine changes to be made.”
Travel groups are still putting pressure on the U.S. government to remove travel restrictions, as they believe it can be done safely, even with the Delta variant. After the news, U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes said:
“Given the high rates of vaccination on both sides of the Atlantic, it is possible to begin safely welcoming back vaccinated visitors from these crucial inbound markets.”
“We respectfully urge the Biden administration to revisit its decision in the very near term and begin reopening international travel to vaccinated individuals, starting with air corridors between the U.S. and nations with similar vaccination rates.”
Read More:
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Des Workman
Thursday 29th of July 2021
USA totally ignoring those of us with family in USA. We are vaccinated in England, our American family is vaccinated I can do nothing about TRUMP supporting anti-vaxers. Open up to Vaccinated Europeans.
A Robb
Friday 6th of August 2021
@R, No. We are not in the same state. At all. Please buck the trend and read international news. We are now experiencing an almost vertical fall-off in infection rates. Our hospitalisations have likewise started to plateau and drop, from a very low rise anyway since we started vaccinating. And mortality is still dropping. It’s not hard to look up figures. We keep close and careful records though are National Health Service, which means we have cohesive means of collecting data. I would like to visit my family, who work in the American health service have bust a gut for Americans to get vaccines rolled out, paying American taxes and contributing fully to the American economy and American well-being. I fail to see why we are not being afforded the right to visit our families if we are double vaccinated, tested, and bloody well masked all the way. Frankly, it’s insulting to be treated this way.
R
Thursday 29th of July 2021
@Des Workman, what does this have to do with Trump? Biden is in power now, this is his choice. Also vaccines don’t prevent transmission. You think you’re special just because you got the shot. Clearly there was no point because you’re still in the same boat you were in before you took it.
Chantal
Thursday 29th of July 2021
@Martina, Yup. This is entirely on Biden and his handlers.
Martina
Thursday 29th of July 2021
@Des Workman, there is a large portion of Hispanics and blacks that do not want to take the vaccine either. Not exactly Trump supporters. Also, the US government allows thousands of illegal immigrants pour into our borders and also allows people from countries with low vaccine rates come in as tourists. So blame the US government and not its people.