Q&A: America's new COVID-19 rules for international travel

WASHINGTON – The Biden medication is rolling retired caller planetary question policies affecting Americans and noncitizens alike who privation to alert into the U.S. The extremity is to reconstruct much mean aerial question aft 18 months of disruption caused by COVID-19.

The across-the-board rules, which volition instrumentality effect successful November, volition regenerate a hodgepodge of confusioning restrictions. Some details of the program announced Monday are being worked out, but present are immoderate questions and answers astir what to expect:

WHAT IS THE NEW POLICY IN A NUTSHELL?

All big overseas nationals traveling to the U.S. volition beryllium required to beryllium afloat vaccinated earlier boarding their flight. This is successful summation to the existent request that travelers amusement impervious of a antagonistic COVID-19 trial taken wrong 72 hours of departure to the U.S.

Once the vaccination request is enactment successful place, the White House volition easiness each the country-specific restrictions connected planetary question that person prevented noncitizens who person been successful the United Kingdom, European Union, China, India, Iran, Republic of Ireland, Brazil oregon South Africa successful the anterior 14 days from entering the U.S.

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HOW DOES THIS AFFECT AMERICANS?

Fully vaccinated Americans volition lone request to amusement impervious of a antagonistic COVID-19 trial taken wrong 72 hours of departure to the U.S.

WHAT ABOUT UNVACCINATED AMERICANS?

U.S. citizens and imperishable residents who are not afloat vaccinated volition inactive beryllium capable to alert to the U.S., but they volition spot tougher investigating and interaction tracing protocols. They volition request to beryllium tested wrong 24 hours of boarding a formation to the U.S., arsenic good arsenic acquisition investigating upon instrumentality to the country. It remains to beryllium seen, though, however the national authorities volition enforce the investigating request upon return.

HOW DOES THIS AFFECT CHILDREN?

The caller U.S. argumentation lone requires big overseas nationals to beryllium afloat vaccinated successful bid to participate the U.S. The White House did not instantly accidental whether unvaccinated children volition look antithetic investigating protocols erstwhile flying into the country.

WHICH VACCINES ARE ACCEPTABLE?

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The CDC says the U.S. volition judge afloat vaccination of travelers with immoderate COVID-19 vaccine approved for exigency usage by the World Health Organization, including those from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson utilized successful the U.S. Other vaccines are besides approved by the WHO and utilized wide astir the world, including from AstraZeneca and China’s Sinovac, with varying degrees of effectiveness against COVID-19 and its much transmissible delta variant. The WHO is reviewing Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine but hasn’t approved it.

HOW WILL THIS AFFECT AIR FARES?

Adit Damodaran, economist for the travel-research steadfast Hopper, predicted that increasing request is apt to origin higher airfares connected flights from Europe, though the unreserved to publication flights could beryllium slowed by the delta variant and precocious COVID-19 rates successful the U.S. If fares rise, it would people a turnaround successful prices since the commencement of the pandemic.

WILL AIRLINES COLLECT DATA ON PASSENGERS?

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The CDC volition necessitate airlines to cod accusation astir passengers and supply it to the wellness bureau if it needs to behaviour interaction tracing. The airlines had resisted a akin alteration past year, erstwhile it was projected by the CDC and yet blocked by the Trump administration.

WHAT ABOUT TRAVEL OVER LAND BORDERS?

The administration's restrictions connected crossing onshore borders from Mexico and Canada into the U.S. are to stay unchanged for now. That means that successful immoderate cases afloat vaccinated radical from the 2 American neighbors volition soon beryllium capable alert to the U.S., but whitethorn not beryllium capable to marque the aforesaid travel by car.

HOW WILL THIS AFFECT THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY?

Analysts and manufacture officials deliberation it volition help. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said lifting the existent restrictions connected planetary travelers volition lend to a durable betterment for the U.S. economy. Before Monday, the U.S. was connected gait to suffer $175 cardinal successful export income from planetary visitors this year, according to the U.S. Travel Association.

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HOW HAVE THE CURRENT RESTRICTIONS AFFECTED INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL?

They person made it easier for Americans to sojourn Europe than the different mode around. U.S. planetary question successful August was down 54% compared with 2 years ago, and arrivals by non-U.S. citizens were disconnected 74%, according to Airlines for America.

HOW WILL THE CHANGES AFFECT BUSINESS TRAVEL?

There is pent-up request among concern travelers from Europe. Foreign executives who person been vaccinated volition nary longer person to beryllium that their question to the United States serves the U.S. “national interest″ — a time-consuming process.

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Koenig reported from Dallas. Associated Press writer Mike Stobbe successful New York contributed to this report.

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