Passengers arrive on a flight from London amid new restrictions to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at JFK International Airport in New York, December 21, 2020.
Eduardo Munoz | Reuters
President Joe Biden on Monday banned most non-American citizens traveling from South Africa from entering the United States and extended travel restrictions to Europe, the United Kingdom and Brazil in an effort to stem the spread of Covid -19, especially as new strains of the coronavirus are identified.
The measures, reported on Sunday by CNBC, occur as more contagious variants of the virus spread.
Former President Donald Trump last week rescinded entry bans for most non-American citizens who were in the UK, Brazil or many countries in Europe, but then-elected President Biden’s spokesman said the new government would revert this measure quickly.
Trump’s decision to suspend the rules was due to take effect on Tuesday, when the U.S. will begin to require travelers to the U.S. to show a recent negative Covid test result before flying to the United States.
U.S. airlines urged the Trump administration to replace travel bans with Covid’s test requirements.