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U.S. to Open Air Travel to Most Vaccinated Foreigners
author:Josh Wingrovesource:Bloomberg 2021-09-22 [Medicine]
The U.S. will soon allow entry to most foreign air travelers as long as they’re fully vaccinated against Covid-19 -- while adding a testing requirement for unvaccinated Americans and barring entry for foreigners who haven’t gotten shots.

The measures announced Monday by the White House mark the most sweeping change to U.S. travel policies in months, and widen the gap in rules between vaccinated people -- who will see restrictions relaxed -- and the unvaccinated. The new rules will replace existing bans on foreigners’ travel to the U.S. from certain regions, including Europe.

While the move will open the U.S. to millions of vaccinated people and was celebrated by the airline industry, the White House cast the measure as a crackdown, pointing to stricter testing rules and a new contact tracing regime. The new policy will take effect in “early November,” according to the White House, though the precise date isn’t yet clear. 

“We know vaccines are effective, including against the delta variant, and vaccines are the best line of defense against Covid, so this vaccination requirement deploys the best tool we have in our arsenal to keep people safe and prevent the spread of the virus,” White House Covid-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients told reporters on Monday.  

The new rules will replace the current system, which includes outright bans on entry for most foreigners who’ve been in certain regions -- including the U.K., European Schengen area, China, India, South Africa and Brazil -- within the previous two weeks, regardless of vaccination status. 

“We will protect Americans here at home and enhance the safety of international travel,” Zients said.

Attention now shifts to what vaccines will be recognized under the policy change, which saw U.S. airline shares pare pre-market losses Monday.