WASHINGTON:U.S. President-elect Joe Biden plans to quickly extend travel restrictions barring travel by most people who have recently been in much of Europe and Brazil soon after President Donald Trump lifted those requirements effective Jan. 26, a spokeswoman for Biden said.
Trump signed an order Monday lifting the restrictions he imposed early last year in response to the pandemic - a decision first reported Monday by Reuters - after winning support from coronavirus task force members and public health officials.
Soon after Trump's order was made public, Biden spokeswoman Jen Psaki tweeted "on the advice of our medical team, the Administration does not intend to lift these restrictions on 1/26."
She added that "With the pandemic worsening, and more contagious variants emerging around the world, this is not the time to be lifting restrictions on international travel."
Until Biden acts, Trump's order ends restrictions the same day that new COVID-19 test requirements take effect for all international visitors. Trump is due to leave office on Wednesday.
Last week, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed an order requiring nearly all air travelers to present a negative coronavirus test or proof of recovery from COVID-19 to enter the United States starting on Jan. 26.
The restrictions Trump rescinded have barred nearly all non-U.S. citizens who within the last 14 days have been in Brazil, the United Kingdom, Ireland and the 26 countries of the Schengen area in Europe that allow travel across open borders.
The U.S. restrictions barring most visitors from Europe have been in place since mid-March when Trump signed proclamations imposing them, while the Brazilian entry ban was imposed in May.
Psaki added that "in fact, we plan to strengthen public health measures around international travel in order to further mitigate the spread of COVID-19." The Biden transition did not immediately respond to a request to comment on if it planned to expand the countries covered.
Biden, once in office, has the legal authority to reimpose the restrictions.
Last Tuesday, Marty Cetron, director of CDC's global migration and quarantine division, told Reuters those entry bans were an "opening act strategy" to address the virus spread and should now be "actively reconsidered."
Airlines had hoped the new testing requirements would clear the way for the administration to lift the restrictions that reduced travel from some European countries by 95% or more.
They had pressed senior White House officials about the issue in recent days.
Many administration officials for months argued the restrictions no longer made sense given most countries were not subject to the entry bans. Others have argued the United States should not drop entry bans since many European countries still block most U.S. citizens.
Reuters previously reported the White House was not considering lifting entry bans on most non-U.S. citizens who have recently been in China or Iran. Trump confirmed Monday he would not lift those.
Reuters
Tue Jan 19 2021
Passengers walk through Terminal 1, after further cases of coronavirus were confirmed in New York, at JFK International Airport in New York, U.S., March 13, 2020. REUTERS file pic
Warga emas rugi hampir RM300,000 ditipu tawaran kerja dalam talian
Mangsa seorang wanita 71 tahun ditawar kerja sambilan dengan menjual barangan dalam talian dan dijanjikan komisen sebanyak 15 peratus.
Presiden Turkiye kecam kehadiran Perdana Menteri Israel di PBB
Recep Tayyip Erdogan menyifatkan kehadiran Benjamin Netanyahu sebagai 'memalukan'.
Kurang pemangkin baharu, Bursa Malaysia dibuka rendah
Pada 9.10 pagi ini, indeks petunjuk utama FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) turun 7.89 mata kepada 1,663.43 daripada paras 1,671.32 yang dicatatkan semalam.
Malaysia hasrat pelajari kejayaan China dalam pelaksanaan 5G
Perkara itu antara yang dibincangkan Fahmi dalam mesyurat dua hala bersama Menteri Industri dan Teknologi Maklumat China Jin Zhuanglong.
Niaga SPOTLIGHT: Empowering Malaysian SMEs via logistics technology
Malaysia’s overall Freight And Logistics market value is estimated at MYR 116.9 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach MYR 147.6 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 4.77% during the forecast period (2024-2029). Logistics Tech Start Ups are increasingly play a critical role in supporting Malaysia’s SME sector businesses and entrepreneurs as part of this lucrative industry. NIAGA SPOTLIGHT discusses market trends causing rapid expansion and change in the Tech Logistics industry including supply chain agility, labour shortages, embracing complexity through automation while staying small business friendly and environmentally conscious.
Petronas peroleh konsesi minyak dan gas ketiga di Abu Dhabi
Petronas Abu Dhabi akan memegang 100 peratus ekuiti dan bertanggungjawab ke atas pengendalian sepanjang tempoh cari gali berkenaan.
Ee Wei anggap dirinya bernasib baik, kaca tidak terkena kepala
Ee Wei memerlukan 16 jahitan berikutan kecederaan dialami akibat terkena serpihan kaca selepas dia tergelincir ketika memegang dumbel.
Prestasi & prospek pasaran Bursa Malaysia
Ketua Strategi, MIDF Research, Syed Muhammed Kifni Syed Kamaruddin mengulas berkenaan prestasi semasa FBM KLCI serta prospek hadapannya.
Prospek Bursa Malaysia kekal memberangsangkan - Wahid Omar
Indeks petunjuk utama FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) telah mencatat peningkatan sebanyak 15 peratus setakat tahun ini pada akhir dagangan Rabu dan menjadikan Bursa Malaysia muncul pasaran mencatat prestasi terbaik di ASEAN.
[Data & Statistik] Kedudukan MYR berbanding SGD setakat 27 September 2024
Niaga AWANI bawakan prestasi terkini prestasi Ringgit Malaysia berbanding dolar Singapura.
UNGA 79: “Ucapan terakhir Biden, retorik biasa, kita tidak terlalu berharap” - Mohamad
Menteri Luar sifatkan penampilan terakhir Presiden AS di UNGA sekadar public consumption.
UNGA 79: PBB perlu beradaptasi, mainkan peranan lebih inklusif demi keamanan - Joe Biden
Joe Biden menggesa Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) memainkan peranannya dengan lebih inklusif dan berkesan dalam menangani isu serta konflik semasa yang melatari dunia hari ini.
Harga telur naik, JD Vance kritik pentadbiran Biden-Harris
Calon naib presiden parti Republikan, JD Vance, mengkritik pengendalian ekonomi di bawah pentadbiran Biden-Harris dalam lawatan ke sebuah kedai runcit di Pennsylvania bersama anak-anaknya pada Sabtu.
Biden lega Trump tidak cedera selepas cubaan bunuh
Presiden Amerika Joe Biden lahirkan rasa lega kerana bekas presiden Donald Trump tidak cedera berikutan cubaan membunuh.
Trump akui 'tersinggung' dengan sokongan Putin terhadap Harris
Donald Trump mengakui bahawa beliau "sangat tersinggung" dengan keputusan Vladimir Putin menyatakan sokongan kepada Kamala Harris.
Hunter Biden mengaku salah atas pertuduhan elak cukai
Anak lelaki Presiden Amerika Syarikat Joe Biden, Hunter Biden mengaku bersalah pada Khamis terhadap sembilan pertuduhan dalam kes cukai.
Hutang pinjaman pelajar: Tujuh negeri Republikan cabar Joe Biden
Negeri-negeri tersebut berhujah, Jabatan Pendidikan tidak mempunyai kuasa untuk melaksanakan pembatalan hutang berkenaan.
Biden ucap Selamat Hari Kebangsaan kepada rakyat Malaysia
Presiden Amerika Syarikat (AS), Joe Biden menzahirkan ucapan Selamat Menyambut Hari Kebangsaan yang ke-67 kepada seluruh rakyat Malaysia.
Biden ikrar tamatkan perang di Gaza
Presiden Amerika Syarikat Joe Biden berikrar untuk menamatkan perang di Semenanjung Gaza dan membawa pulang tawanan.
Trump 'perguna' Taylor Swift tarik undi
Swift tidak pernah menyatakan sokongan secara terbuka terhadap mana-mana calon dalam pilihan raya kali ini.