Vaccinated Foreigners Will Soon Have Access to the US

Fully vaccinated foreigners will soon have access to the US again. The Biden administration on Monday announced that international travelers will be able to come to the US starting in early November. While they won't be subject to a quarantine, there will be protocols in place, including that the passenger test negative for COVID within the 72 hours prior to boarding the US-bound flight and show their vaccine card before getting on the plane, reports the Hill.

White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients had this to say of the new restrictions, per the AP: "This is based on individuals rather than a country-based approach, so it's a stronger system." He's referring to current regulations, which prevent noncitizens who've been to the UK, EU, China, India, Iran, Republic of Ireland, Brazil, and South Africa in the past 14 days from entering the country.

Zients said the decision on which vaccines would qualify will be left to the CDC. Some context from the Guardian: "The move will mark the end of a travel ban imposed by Donald Trump more than 18 months ago in the early stages of the pandemic, and comes after intense lobbying from Brussels and London." The AP reports the administration is also getting tougher on unvaccinated American citizens, who will need to be tested within a day before entering the US. (More coronavirus stories.)