White House Says Travel Bans To Remain For Now As Delta Variant Surges

Visitors from Europe and other countries have been barred from entry to the U.S. for more than a year, a reality that press secretary Jen Psaki said will...

The White House said Monday that the Biden administration will not yet lift a ban on international travelers from Europe and other regions, citing the ongoing threat of the delta variant of COVID-19 and a surge in cases nationwide. Press secretary Jen Psaki said the president would continue the ban — which was first announced by the Trump administration in January 2020 for some travelers from China before it was extended to Europe that March — for the foreseeable future, adding that there was no timeline for it to end. Other countries have been added to the ban amid the spread of the coronavirus and its various strains. “The more transmissible delta variant is spreading both here and around the world,” Psaki said during a press briefing. “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.”