U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday will reinstate a ban on entry into the country for travelers from the European Union (EU), the United Kingdom and Brazil, and include South Africa as part of his effort against the coronavirus pandemic, local media reported this Sunday.
CNN and the publication Polític, which quoted White House sources, have said that the decision reverses the measure announced on January 18, two days before he left power, by former President Donald Trump.. The restrictions were to be lifted from next Tuesday, January 26th.
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During that day, the United States surpassed 25 million infected with the virus, and reached 417,538 deaths, making it the country most affected by the pandemic in the world.
The ban on passengers from the European Union and the United Kingdom was imposed by Trump in March, while the one on Brazil dates back to May. In his Jan. 18 decision, Trump decided to keep the travel restriction in place for passengers from China and Iran.
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Just knowing the order of the Republican leader, current White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki then pointed out on her Twitter account that “with the worsening of the pandemic and the emergence of more contagious variants around the world , this is not the best time to lift restrictions on international travel. ”
“The Administration does not intend to lift these restrictions on January 26”, Anticipated the current spokesman.
In addition, the United States will require from Tuesday a negative covid-19 test on all air passengers before flying into the country, including Americans. The measure, announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on January 12, also establishes the recommendation to undergo a new test three to five days after arrival in the country and remain in quarantine in home for seven days after the trip.
U.S. chief epidemiologist Anthony Fauci said Sunday that after data released by the UK government, it must be assumed that the British variant can “cause more harm, including death,” and pointed out that the vaccine is still effective even against the South African variant.
Fauci indicated that the British variation of the virus is “in at least 20 states in the United States,” and pointed out that vaccines administered in the country, that of Moderna and Pfizer, “appear to continue to protect against the mutant strain.”
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Asked about the presence in the United States of the lineage discovered in South Africa, he admitted that he cannot say “definitely” that they know it as a fact.
The official said that while it has been observed that the South African mutation may “in some respects” nullify the effectiveness of vaccines, they are still within a “level of cushioning” that vaccines makes effective against these variants.
EFE