US Delta surge prolongs India, UK travellers' wait for entry.
The White House confirmed Monday that the United States will not lift any current travel restrictions "at this point" due to concerns about the highly contagious delta variant of COVID-19 and the growing number of coronavirus cases in the United States. US Delta surge prolongs India
The decision, first reported by Reuters, comes after a high-level meeting at the White House on Friday evening. This means that the long-term travel restrictions that have excluded much of the world's population from the United States since 2020 will not be lifted any time soon.
"Given where we are today ... with the delta variant, we will maintain current travel restrictions at this point," White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Monday, citing the prevalence of the delta variant in the United States and abroad. "Driven by the delta variant, cases are increasing here at home, especially among those who have not been vaccinated and it seems likely that it will continue to increase in the coming weeks."
The ad almost certainly condemns any offer by US airlines and the US tourism industry to provide summer travel to Europeans and others covered by the restrictions. Airlines have lobbied the White House for months to lift restrictions, with some saying the industry may now have to wait until September or later for a possible review.
Currently, the US bans most non-US citizens who have been in the UK in the last 14 days, the 26 Schengen countries in Europe without internal border controls, or in Ireland, China, India, South Africa, Iran and Brazil.
US extraordinary travel restrictions were first imposed on China in January 2020 to tackle the spread of COVID-19. Since then other countries have been added, most recently India in early May.
Last week, the US Department of Homeland Security said the US land borders with Canada and Mexico would remain closed to non-essential travel until at least August 21, even when Canada said it would start allowing fully vaccinated US tourists in from August 9.
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