'US bans entry of Chinese nationals, maintains entry ban amid spread of US Delta variant'

Europe, China, India, Brazil Maintain Entry Restrictions
Israel, UK Travel Warnings Also Raised
No Exceptions for Allies... South Korea Maintains Level 1 Travel Warning
New York City Mandates Vaccines for Public Officials

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on the 26th that the ban on entry to the United States for foreigners from Europe, China, and other countries will continue for the time being.
[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] The U.S. government has decided to maintain travel bans on citizens from Europe, China, Brazil, and India due to the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said at a press briefing on the 26th (local time), "The Delta variant is spreading in the U.S. and worldwide," adding, "At this point, we will maintain the existing travel restrictions."

Earlier, major foreign media reported that the White House decided on this policy through an internal meeting on the 23rd. This means that the demands from European governments and the U.S. travel industry to ease travel restrictions were not accepted. Since February last year, the U.S. has banned entry of Chinese nationals and restricted entry of citizens from countries with significant COVID-19 outbreaks, including Europe.

Psaki stated, "Due to the Delta variant, infections are increasing domestically, especially among the unvaccinated, and this is expected to continue for the next few weeks."

She also said, "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently recommended avoiding travel to the United Kingdom due to a surge in infections, and they will evaluate and advise based on health data."

Earlier, U.S. President Joe Biden avoided a direct answer to a question about allowing Europeans to travel to the U.S. during a press conference after a summit with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, saying, "There will be an announcement in a few days." Subsequently, the White House indicated a negative stance on easing travel restrictions by stating that health experts are reviewing the ban on foreign nationals entering the U.S.

On the same day, the CDC also raised travel alerts for Spain, Portugal, Cuba, Cyprus, and Kyrgyzstan to Level 4.

The U.S. is applying strict standards even to allied and friendly countries. Although European countries have allowed vaccinated Americans to enter, the U.S. remains cautious.

The CDC raised the travel alert for Israel from Level 1 to Level 3, a two-level increase. The United Kingdom was already designated as a Level 4 travel avoidance area on the 19th.

Canada announced it would open its borders to vaccinated Americans starting next month on the 9th, but the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced it would extend border closure measures with Canada and Mexico at least until August 21.

Despite the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, the U.S. maintains a Level 1 travel alert for South Korea.

Meanwhile, on the same day, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio mandated vaccination for 340,000 city employees, including teachers and police officers, amid the spread of the Delta variant.

Mayor de Blasio urged private sector employers to also implement mandatory vaccination policies for their workers, citing increased COVID-19 spread risks due to unvaccinated individuals.

On this day, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced the first federal agency mandate requiring vaccination for its medical personnel. The VA warned that the approximately 110,000 employees who do not get vaccinated within eight weeks will face personnel actions, including possible dismissal.