South Africa demands lifting of travel restrictions for
Indice
Foreign nationals who cannot enter the United States because they have been in one of the eight countries within the previous 14 days will again be allowed to travel on U.S.-bound flights departing after 12:01 a.m. ET on Dec. 31, a senior official said. confirming a Reuters report.
Top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said Monday that the restrictions are likely to be lifted “because we have enough infection in our own country … We are allowing in people from other countries that have as much or more infection than southern Africa.”
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Foreign nationals who are banned from entering the United States because they have been in one of eight African countries (South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique and Malawi) in the previous 14 days will be able to travel again on flights bound for U.S. territory departing after 12:01 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time (05:00 GMT on December 31).
South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique and MalawiOn Nov. 29, the United States banned access to nearly all non-U.S. citizens who had recently been to these countries out of “over-caution” for the variant detected in South Africa.
The restrictions have not prevented flights or Americans from returning from southern Africa. Dr. Anthony Fauci, an infectious disease expert, said Monday that the lifting of the restrictions was because “we have enough infections in our own country.” “We’re letting in people from other countries that have as much or more infection than southern African countries.”
More countries impose travel restrictions for the variant
Travelers from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Esuatini (formerly Swaziland), Mozambique and Malawi are currently banned from entering U.S. territory, a decision announced on November 26 “out of extreme caution,” the White House recalls.
The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden received a barrage of criticism for having imposed and maintained these travel restrictions affecting only southern Africa despite the fact that the new variant of the coronavirus was spreading rapidly around the world.
U.S. shields itself against the spread of the omicron variant
U.S. President Joe Bien issued a presidential proclamation Tuesday revoking a travel ban on eight southern African countries in response to the spread of the omicron variant of the coronavirus in an attempt to contain its arrival.
The presidential proclamation repeals the ban as of 00.01 a.m. on December 31. The restrictions were imposed last November and banned entry to travelers from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Esuatini, Mozambique and Malawi.
The restrictions on travel to southern Africa, imposed by several countries, have been widely criticized in the international community, including by the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, although the Biden Administration had repeatedly defended this measure.