Newly elected President Joe Biden has renewed the travel ban recently lifted by Donald Trump.
According to the latest information, this ban will apply to travelers from 26 countries in Europe, Brazil, Great Britain, and Ireland. In addition, South Africa has been added to the list.
First of all, the US government is afraid of new outbreaks of infection in the near future. It caused by the emergence and spreading of new variants of COVID. For example, a British strain of the virus was found in the United States at the end of 2020. Furthermore, other new variants have been identified in South Africa and Brazil. They are more contagious and transmissible, and their effect on humans is not yet fully known. Hence, the travel ban is a necessary measure for the United States.
As White House press secretary Jen Psaki wrote, the decision was made in order to counter the rise in COVID:
“With the pandemic worsening, and more contagious variants emerging around the world, this is not the time to be lifting restrictions on international travel”.
However, this restriction will not apply to US citizens.
All Americans who are currently in the above-mentioned countries will be able to return to their homeland. Nevertheless, they are required to receive a negative COVID test and to have mandatory self-isolation. For more information on repatriation flights, US citizens and residents should register with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).
In conclusion, at the moment, fighting the pandemic is a priority for Biden. It is worth recalling that last week the US President introduced mandatory quarantine for all visitors to the country, and also tightened the rules for wearing masks. Moreover, within 100 days, he intends to vaccinate more than 100 million Americans. Joe Biden notes that now all his actions and decrees are “based on science, not politics.” As a result, he will do everything possible to defeat the pandemic.
