Following a vote in the US House of Representatives recently, it has been reported that a significant portion has voted for the immediate end of the vaccine rule that is still implicated for international travellers to the country.
At present, the required vaccine rule stating that all international travellers to the US must be fully vaccinated is the only entry rule in place for travellers to the US (UK travellers can stay up to date with all official updates to entry rules on the Foreign Travel Advice page). Previously, the US also had a requirement for evidence of a negative Covid test taken pre-departure, but this was dropped in 2022, leaving only the vaccine rule in place at the insistence of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In the vote that occurred recently, 227 members voted in favour of a bill to end the vaccine rule dictating that international travellers be fully vaccinated. 201 members voted against the immediate introduction of this new bill. According to reports, the US Travel Association also welcomed this vote against the continued necessity for the vaccine rule.
Tori Emerson Barnes, the Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy, said in a statement that ‘the need for this requirement has long since passed’ in reference to the currently in place Covid vaccine rule. The bill is currently waiting for approval from the US Senate.
The White House, however, is against lifting the vaccine entry rule until the pre-planned date on the 11th of May. The Covid public health emergency is due to end on the 11th of May, when the White House proposes the Biden administration follow through with plans to review all the current policies surrounding Covid, including the vaccine rule.
On this, Tori Emerson Barnes said, “US Travel sees no reason to uphold the requirement until May – particularly as visitors from around the world plan spring and summer travel. The US is the only country that has maintained this policy, putting at risk valuable visitor spending the longer it remains in place.
“We thank the bill’s sponsors for their efforts and urge the Senate to pass this bill to normalise travel conditions and boost international arrivals as quickly as possible.”
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