The White House announced Monday, July 26, that existing restrictions on travel in and out of the United States will be maintained for the time being, due to an increase in COVID-19 cases linked to the delta variant of the virus.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki warned that “the most transmissible species of delta spreads here and around the world.”
“Driven by the delta variant, cases are increasing here at home, especially among those who have not been vaccinated and it seems likely to continue in the coming weeks,” he added.
The US has been imposing travel restrictions for more than a year in parts of Europe and Brazil. But foreign countries are more open to Americans than the United States is to foreign countries.
Canada has been particularly discriminated against by its travel restrictions. The nation is set to welcome fully vaccinated Americans across its border on August 9, but the United States will not open its borders to fully vaccinated Canadians and Mexicans until August 21, a date that is not yet guaranteed.
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In places where business, family, and tourist trips across Michigan’s border with Canada were once routine and busy, only essential travel of more than a year has been allowed.
Travel from the US to the UK is still allowed for fully vaccinated Americans, but last week the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) urged Americans not to make the trip.
At the White House press conference on Monday, Psaki was repeatedly asked if the travel restrictions could be tougher or loosened, but she referred to the Centers for Disease Control — calling her “our North Star.” She indicated that the White House would follow. recommendations.
The Joe Biden administration also worked with advisory teams from the European Union, Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom to reach consensus on travel changes.
At the briefing, Psaki provided good news about Immunization Day, which has slowed in recent weeks. He noted that five US states where COVID-19 rates have increased and where people have been reluctant to get vaccinated (California, Texas, Florida, Arkansas and Louisiana) exceeded the national average vaccination rates last week.
* Juan Felipe Vélez Rojas contributed to this note.
Anadolu Agency website contains only part of the news stories presented to subscribers on the AA News Broadcasting System (HAS), and in summary.
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