US to drop COVID-19 vaccination requirement for foreign travelers May 11

As of May 11, visitors to the U.S. will no longer have to show proof of COVID—19 vaccination to enter the country, the White House announced yesterday.

“Today, we are announcing that the Administration will end the COVID-19 vaccine requirements for Federal employees, Federal contractors, and international air travelers at the end of the day on May 11, the same day that the COVID-19 public health emergency ends,” the White House said in a statement May 1.

President Joe Biden has been under public pressure from some industry groups and government officials to drop the regulations. Since November 2021, he has enforced the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s policy restricting entry to noncitizen travelers who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The Biden administration mostly extended this mandate last April.

“Today’s action to lift the vaccine requirement eases a significant entry barrier for many global travelers, moving our industry and country forward. The return of international visitors should be as efficient and secure as possible,” Greg Staley, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, said in a statement. “The federal government must ensure U.S. airports and other ports of entry are appropriately staffed with Customs and Border Protection officers to meet the growing demand for entry.”

This decision marks the end of COVID-19 vaccination requirements for international travel as a whole. Before today, the only other countries with remaining requirements were in Asia, including Japan, which dropped its vaccination requirements last week.

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