The White House announced that the US will officially open its borders to restore the economy and politics that have been facing many problems after 18 months of closure to focus on fighting the pandemic. This plan opens up opportunities for many people abroad to reunite with family, relatives or reconnect with business in the US.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people who have received two doses of the vaccine still need to have a negative Covid-19 test result within 3 days or a certificate of Covid-19 recovery before boarding a plane. After arriving in the US, travelers are advised to test again within 3-5 days and do not need to quarantine. According to Reuters, the CDC will update its guidelines from October 25, including contact tracing for foreign travelers.
Travelers are considered fully vaccinated if they have completed their second dose at least two weeks before entering the US, according to the announcement.
In addition, the CDC will accept vaccines licensed for use by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or WHO. The CDC's announcement also stated: "Although we do not recommend mixing vaccines, we have seen this practice become more common in countries. Therefore, this will be accepted in vaccination records."
"The recommended interval between the first and second doses varies by vaccine. However, if two different vaccines are given, the second dose must be given at least 17 days after the first dose," the CDC said.
The US will also consider exemptions for unvaccinated people, including children. Details will be released on November 8.
The US is considered too cautious and lagging behind many countries in approaching the 'new normal', the number of international tourists to the US has dropped sharply since the pandemic began, causing the country to lose more than 250 billion USD.
Previously, the administration of former President Donald Trump had ordered restrictions on air travel to the US with many countries around the world since January 2020. In addition, non-essential travel activities were also banned at the land border between the US with Mexico and Canada since March 2020.
Nick Calio, CEO of the industry trade group Airlines for America, said US airlines have seen a significant increase in international ticket sales in recent weeks, after the White House announced plans to lift restrictions.
