WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will raise journey restrictions to eight southern African international locations on New 12 months’s Eve, the White Home introduced Friday.
The restrictions, imposed final month, had been meant to blunt the unfold of the COVID omicron variant.
The Nov. 29 ban barred practically all non-U.S. residents who had lately been in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi.
WATCH: Journey bans punish international locations for doing obligatory work to finish the pandemic, South Africa epidemiologist says
White Home spokesman Kevin Munoz mentioned on Twitter that the choice was really helpful by the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. Munoz mentioned the non permanent journey bans purchased scientists obligatory time to review the brand new virus variant and conclude that the present vaccinations are efficient in blunting its affect.
Omicron is now spreading quickly all through the U.S., together with among the many vaccinated, however an enormous majority of these being hospitalized are unvaccinated.
“The restrictions gave us time to know Omicron and we all know our present vaccines work towards Omicron, esp boosted,” Munoz wrote on Twitter.
