As President Joe Biden continues to undo Donald Trump’s work, a White House official confirms his COVID-19 travel restrictions plan.
On Monday, President Biden will reinstate the travel restrictions on non-US citizens that have been to South Africa, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Ireland, and parts of Europe, CNN reports.
Trump previously signed an executive order lifting the restriction from the countries listed above beginning on January 26.
“I agree with the Secretary ( former Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar) that this action is the best way to continue protecting Americans from COVID-19 while enabling travel to resume safely,” Trump stated in the order.
However, the same night, President Biden’s transition team assured that the incoming Administration would not lift the travel restrictions.
“With the pandemic worsening, and more contagious variants emerging around the world, this is not the time to be lifting restrictions on international travel,” Jen Psaki, then-incoming White House press secretary, tweeted.
“On the advice of our medical team, the Administration does not intend to lift these restrictions on 1/26. In fact, we plan to strengthen public health measures around international travel in order to further mitigate the spread of COVID-19.”
International travelers will be required to prove that they tested negative for the coronavirus before coming to America.
The executive action is similar to what US travelers must do in several countries before they can enter.
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, Americans must have a negative COVID-19 test 72 hours before traveling to their countries. For Brazil, proof of a completed Declaration of Traveler’s Health is needed, CNN noted.
President Biden will continue to use his strategy “based on science, not politics” to undo Trump’s approach to the pandemic that continues to see a surge in positive coronavirus cases.
