U.S. issues new pandemic travel rules for vaccination, testing
BNN Bloomberg
The Biden administration issued new rules for travelers to the U.S. on Monday requiring proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 in addition to a recent negative test for the virus.
The Biden administration issued new rules for travelers to the U.S. on Monday requiring proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 in addition to a recent negative test for the virus.
People from countries with low supplies of vaccines who aren’t traveling on tourist visas, and those under 18, will be exempt from the vaccine requirement, senior administration officials said in a briefing for reporters.
U.S. citizens and residents returning from abroad who aren’t vaccinated will have to obtain a negative COVID-19 test within a day of their flight, the officials said.
The new rules taking effect Nov. 8 represent the biggest change to U.S. travel policy since the start of the pandemic. The procedures replace a system that flatly barred most foreign nationals coming directly from major markets including Europe, India, Brazil and China.
Under the new system, vaccinated people who have had a negative test in the prior 72 hours will be able to board a flight to the U.S. as long as they share contact tracing information. Unvaccinated foreigners will be generally barred from entry.
A notable exception is for people from a list of countries that are considered to have insufficient supplies of shots. If they aren’t traveling to the U.S. on a tourist visa, they’ll be admitted with proof of a negative COVID-19 test within one day of their flights.
