Covid-19: US lifts curbs on travelers from India, China, 31 other countries
New Delhi: The United States on Tuesday lifted restrictions, effective November 8, on travellers from 33 countries, including China and India.
US President Joe Biden signed a directive on Tuesday to impose new vaccination rules and lift travel restrictions for 33 countries. The US had clamped these curbs in 2020 to control the spread of the coronavirus.
“It is in the interests of the United States to move away from the country-by-country restrictions previously applied during the Covid-19 pandemic and to adopt an air travel policy that relies primarily on vaccination to advance the safe resumption of international air travel to the United States,” the directive read.
The United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued rules that require airlines to follow up with travellers exposed to Covid-19 variants or other pathogens. The White House Administration also issued orders to the airlines to ensure fully vaccinated foreign travellers boarded the US-bound flights.
“Children under 18 years of age and people with medical issues are exempted from this rule. The exemption also applies to non-tourist travellers from 50 nations with a national vaccinated rate of 10 per cent and below,” the White House Administration said.
However, international travellers need to showcase a negative Covid-19 test report within 72 hours of departure, while unvaccinated Americans and exempted foreigners need to provide a negative Coronavirus test report within 24 hours of departure.
“Exempted individuals wishing to stay in the United States for over 60 days need to get vaccinated,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, Israel lifted the official travel warning for passengers travelling to Morocco, after 10 years.
(Avya Mathur)
