26th October, 2021
Agency Report
Nigeria and a host of other countries were favoured as U.S President Joe Biden signed a new order imposing new vaccine requirements for international travellers.
Biden on Monday imposed the order, lifting strict restrictions placed on China, India and much of Europe effective as from Nov. 8.
Earlier in 2020, the United States placed extraordinary travel restrictions on non-U.S. citizens to address the spread of COVID-19.
“It is in the interests of the United States to move away from the country-by-country restrictions previously applied during the COVID-19 pandemic and to adopt an air travel policy that relies primarily on vaccination to advance the safe resumption of international air travel to the United States,” as stated in Biden’s proclamation.
The White House confirmed that children under 18 are exempt from the new vaccine requirements as are people with some medical issues.
Non-tourist travellers from nearly 50 countries with nationwide vaccination rates of less than 10 per cent will also be eligible for exemption from the rules.
Those receiving an exemption will generally need to be vaccinated within 60 days after arriving in the United States.
Those countries include Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, Armenia, Myanmar, Iraq, Nicaragua, Senegal, Uganda, Libya, Ethiopia, Zambia, Congo, Kenya, Yemen, Haiti, Chad and Madagascar.
“Families and friends can see each other again, tourists can visit our amazing landmarks. This policy will further boost economic recovery,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said.
Dpa