US authorities have decided to remove the Covid-19 vaccination requirements for all foreign tourists. The US government has announced that the change will be made from next week. The requirement to present proof of vaccination against Covid to travel to the US was imposed in January 2021, in the midst of the pandemic.
The requirement that people traveling to the US by air test negative for Covid was removed last June, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vaccination requirements for most foreign travelers have been maintained until now.
However, the Biden administration said yesterday (Monday, May 1) that “we are in a different phase of our response to Covid-19 than we were when many of these requirements were put in place".
The US Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that it will no longer require non-US travelers entering the country "through land ports of entry and ferry terminals to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and provide proof of vaccination upon request".
A White House statement said: "Today, we are announcing that the administration will end the Covid-19 vaccine requirements for federal employees, federal contractors and international air travelers at the end of May 11, the same day as the public health emergency it ends."
Harry Hastings, Co-Chief Executive and Co-Founder of Ocean Florida, said: “We are delighted that the vaccination mandate for all UK travelers to the US will be waived on 11 May 2023. As the UK's largest independent operator in Florida, we have seen 20% of our cancellations since the borders opened, attributed to to members of the group traveling unvaccinated. The vaccination requirement led to widespread confusion, with 10% of our bookings being terminated at the final confirmation stage due to lack of clarity on entry restrictions. "
The decision by US authorities to lift vaccine requirements eases a significant barrier to entry for many global travelers. The federal government must ensure that U.S. airports and other ports of entry are adequately staffed with Customs and Border Protection officers to meet the growing demand for entry.