US travel restrictions to remain against UK, European countries, others

• Entry to the United States will continue to be denied from the European Schengen area, United Kingdom, and other countries.
• The decision comes after the European Union has been gradually lifting travel restrictions with the U.S.
• Travel industry officials have urged the Biden administration to allow air travel at least for “nations with similar vaccination rates.”

The United States will extend its travel restrictions with the United Kingdom, the European Schengen area, and several other countries.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki made the announcement at a press briefing on Monday, citing the continuing spread of the delta variant “particularly among those who are unvaccinated.”

About 83% of cases nationwide are attributed to the delta variant. Cases have increased 171% nationally in the last two weeks, with the mortality rate up 19% over the week before.

A week earlier, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned against travel to the UK because of a spike in coronavirus cases. Psaki advised waiting on the CDC’s evaluations and “recommendations based on health data.”

Countries included in the travel ban

Entry to the U.S. is prohibited for most travelers from:

• United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland)
• Republic of Ireland
• European Schengen area (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City)
• China
• Iran
• India
• Brazil
• South Africa

The decision comes despite the European Union’s plans to gradually lift travel restrictions with the U.S.

Nonessential travel restrictions through the Canada and Mexico borders were also extended through Aug. 21 despite Canada’s plans to reopen its borders to vaccinated Americans on Aug. 9.

Mounting pressure on lifting travel bans

Other nations and tourism industry leaders have long since urged the Biden administration to lift travel restrictions. Some have suggested dropping travel restrictions in exchange for airlines adopting vaccine passports or vaccine mandates.

On Friday, Psaki stated that “ongoing working groups” are still discussing how to reopen international travel into the U.S.

Psaki stated, “We rely on public health and medical advice on when we’re going to determine changes to be made.”

U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes urged the Biden administration to allow air travel at least for “nations with similar vaccination rates.” Barnes pointed out that both sides of the Atlantic already have high rates of vaccination.

Source: USA Today