US Will Not Lift Existing Travel Restrictions

The United States will not lift existing travel restrictions "at this time" due to concerns about the COVID-19 Delta variant and rising cases of the virus in the country, a White House official told Reuters.

The decision, made following a White House summit, means that long-term travel restrictions preventing the majority of the world's population from entering the United States since 2020 will not be lifted in the short term.

Currently, entry to the U.S. is prohibited for many non-U.S. citizens who have been in the United Kingdom, the 26 countries in the Schengen Area, Ireland, China, India, South Africa, Iran, and Brazil within the past days.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced last week that land borders with Canada and Mexico will remain closed to non-essential travel at least until August 21, despite Canada announcing that it will start accepting fully vaccinated American tourists from August 9.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), stated that the average number of new cases in the U.S. has increased by 53% compared to the previous week. The Delta variant, first identified in India, now accounts for over 80% of new cases in the country and has been detected in over 90 countries.

The White House representative also noted that the CDC advised Americans to avoid traveling to the United Kingdom due to a sharp increase in cases. "The administration understands the importance of international travel and is united in its desire to safely and sustainably resume international travel," the spokesperson said.