The Biden administration on Monday announced the easing of pandemic-related travel restrictions — which have been in place since March 2020 when former President Donald Trump was still in office — for foreign nationals. The Financial Times was the first to report that the United States will soon be open again for some travelers from the United Kingdom and the European Union.
Starting in November, people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including those enrolled in clinical trials for vaccines that have not yet been approved, will reportedly be able make a trip to the U.S. They'll also have to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test within three days before their departure and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will require airlines to collect information on passengers to help with contact tracing, but there will be no quarantine requirement. Previously, only American citizens, their immediate family members, green card holders, and those with national interest exemptions were allowed into the country, and rules varied from country to country. "This is based on individuals rather than a country based approach, so it's a stronger system," White House COVID-19 coordinatory Jeff Zients said of the new policy.
This story has been updated to reflect the White House's announcement.
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