US to end Covid-19 vaccine mandates for international travellers from May 11

The US on Monday announced to end its Covid-19 vaccination requirements for travellers to the United States and for government employees across the world’s biggest economy.

In February, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to lift the requirement that most foreign air travellers be vaccinated against Covid-19, one of the few remaining pandemic travel restrictions still in place.

“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,” a statement said.

More than a million people died from Covid-19 in the United States. However, the White House noted that the pandemic had been all but stopped, leading to the government lifting restrictions dating back from when the disease was ravaging entire communities and forcing crippling economic shutdowns.

“Since January 2021, Covid-19 deaths have declined by 95 percent and hospitalizations are down nearly 91 percent. Globally, Covid-19 deaths are at their lowest levels since the start of the pandemic,” the statement said.

According to the White House, “vaccine requirements bolstered vaccination across the nation, and our broader vaccination campaign has saved millions of lives.”

While demanding proof of a Covid vaccination for foreigners boarding US-bound flights mirrored the practice of many countries, the domestic government vaccination mandates sparked sometimes fierce political backlash at home.

In addition to ending the vaccine rules, President Joe Biden announced in April he was officially calling an end to the national health emergency that for more than three years had underpinned a series of extraordinary government measures.

These included lavish funding for free Covid testing and vaccinations across the country.

The Biden administration last June dropped its requirement that people arriving in the U.S. by air must test negative for COVID but kept in place Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vaccination requirements for most foreign travelers.

The rules barred Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic from taking part in some U.S. tournaments because he is not vaccinated against COVID-19, but from May 12 he could freely enter and play in major American tournaments like the U.S. Open.

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