The Independent View: U.S. To Ease Travel Restrictions On Fully Vaccinated Foreign Visitors

The U.S. plans to ease, on All Fully Vaccinated Foreign Visitors starting in November, the White House said Monday, Relaxing a patchwork of Bans that had begun to cause fury in Europe, and Replacing them with more Uniform Requirements for inbound International Air Passengers.

The New Rules will require All Foreign Nationals arriving in the U.S. to show Proof of being Fully Vaccinated, the White House Covid-19 Response Coordinator, Jeff Zients, said.

The Lifting of Blanket Restrictions on Travel to the U.S. from certain Countries, will come as welcome news to Thousands of Foreign Nationals, with Families in the U.S. who have been kept apart for almost the entire Pandemic.

In addition to requiring Vaccination, the Administration said it was taking other Steps to mitigate Spread of the Virus in Three other areas: Testing, Contact Tracing, and Masking.

Fully Vaccinated Foreign Nationals and American Citizens returning to the U.S. from Abroad, will be required to take a Pre-Departure Covid-19 Test within Three days of their Flight, and show Proof of a Negative Result before Boarding.

Unvaccinated Americans returning to the U.S. will be "subject to stricter testing requirements," Zients said, including a Test within One day of Departure and an Additional Test when they Return. Fully Vaccinated Passengers will Not be subject to any Quarantine Mandates upon arrival in the U.S.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) plans to issue a Contact Tracing Order requiring Airlines to Collect Information from U.S. bound Travelers, including a Phone Number and Email Address, to alert Travelers of potential Exposure. Airlines will be required to keep Contact Tracing Information for 30 days. "This will enable CDC and state and local public health officials to follow up with inbound travelers and those around them if someone has potentially been exposed to Covid-19 and other pathogens," Zients said, adding that this New Requirement will be used more broadly, going forward, to help Protect "against any future public health threats."

The New Guidance applies to All International Travel. Zients said the White House would defer to the CDC on the Definition of "fully vaccinated," including on which Vaccines Qualify. The AstraZeneca Covid-19 Vaccine is Not yet Approved for Emergency use in the U.S., but is widely used in Europe and the Rest of the World.

The Development is a First step toward Repairing One of the several Emerging Rifts between the Biden Administration and Officials in Europe. A New Spat has emerged between the U.S. and France, over a Deal to equip Australia with Nuclear-Powered Submarines, depriving France of a Contract to provide Conventional Subs. European Leaders also found Consultations with the Biden Team over Afghanistan to be Lacking.

It will also be greeted Favorably by the Travel Industry, which had been Lobbying the Federal Government to Lift some of the Rules Preventing International Tourism. Airlines, Hotels, and Hospitality Groups, had All voiced Support for allowing Vaccinated Tourists from Abroad back into the U.S.

Zients maintained that the Administration is "not taking any measures off the table" when asked about the Possibility of Vaccine Mandates for Americans Traveling Domestically. And he said there were No Updates to Existing Rules on Land Border Crossings with Canada and Mexico.