Covid travel restrictions and proof of a Covid vaccination are all but a memory these days as most of the world has moved on. And the final vestiges of this will be removed by May 12 when international travellers will be able to enter the US and travel around without being asked to prove or even attest to it.
The rule of proof of full vaccination from foreign visitors to the US was put into place 18 months ago to guard against the most virulent threat to health in 100 years, expires at the end of the day on May 11. This is the day when America’s “Covid-19 public health emergency” officially ends.
Since America opened up to British and other travellers in November 2021, visitors had to prove they have been vaccinated. Keeping this in place for so long was to help “to slow the spread of new variants entering the country and to allow our healthcare system time to effectively manage access to care if faced with an increase in cases and hospitalisations” – according to the White House.
A White House statement explained:
“We are in a different phase of our response to Covid-19 than we were when many of these requirements were put into place.
“Today, we are announcing that the administration will end the Covid-19 vaccine requirements for federal employees, federal contractors, and international air travellers at the end of the day on May 11, the same day that the Covid-19 public health emergency ends.”
“While vaccination remains one of the most important tools in advancing the health and safety of employees and promoting the efficiency of workplaces, we are now in a different phase of our response when these measures are no longer necessary.”
This is great news for those who remained unvaccinated, who can look forward to holidaying in popular destinations such as the Big Apple, Florida, and Disneyland.