Biden To Impose Covid Travel Restrictions On South Africa, Reinstate Ban On Other Countries Lifted By Trump

Topline: Reversing a directive by the Trump administration, President Joe Biden on Monday will sign an executive order that keeps in place restrictions barring entry by most non-U.S. citizens traveling from the United Kingdom, Brazil, and 26 countries in Europe, and that also bars most travelers from South Africa beginning Saturday, a Biden administration official told Forbes Sunday, aiming to curb the spread of new more infectious—and possibly more deadly—coronavirus variants.

KEY FACTS

The order, which was first reported by Reuters, comes nearly one week after President Donald Trump sought to lift the restrictions he imposed in one of the final moves of his administration.

Hours after Trump announced he would lift the restrictions January 26, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the Biden administration would not follow Trump’s order, asserting that with the “pandemic worsening” it was “not the time to be lifting restrictions on international travel.”

Case numbers and hospitalizations around the U.S. have dropped in recent weeks, but cases derived from the new variant could alter that trajectory. 

CRUCIAL QUOTE

“We are adding South Africa to the restricted list because of the concerning variant present that has already spread beyond South Africa,” Dr. Anne Schuchat, the CDC’s principal deputy director, told Reuters Sunday.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Vaccines may not be as effective against the Covid-19 variant found in South Africa, three preliminary studies have suggested. 

KEY BACKGROUND

It’s not clear how effective travel restrictions are in curbing the spread of the virus and scientists are split about whether it’s a good idea to implement bans at all. Trump repeatedly touted his administration’s “ban” on travel from China during the 2020 campaign, but the restrictions were permeable, late and ineffective. 

FURTHER READING

Trump Lifted Covid Travel Bans For Next Week — But Biden’s Team Plans On Keeping Them In Place (Forbes)

Exclusive: Biden to impose South Africa travel ban to combat new COVID-19 variant – CDC (Reuters)

by Jack Brewster, Forbes Staff