Biden To Reimpose COVID-19 Travel Ban That Trump Lifted In Final Days

By Tony Winterburn • Published: 25 Jan 2021 • 6:43

Biden To Reimpose COVID-19 Travel Ban That Trump Lifted In Final Days. image. WH press

Biden To Reimpose COVID-19 Travel Ban That Trump Lifted In Final Days.

President Joe Biden has said that he will reimpose the COVID-19 travel ban that former President Trump had lifted with less than 48 hours left in his presidency, two White House officials have confirmed. Mr Biden is expected to reinstate the ban today, Monday, Jan. 25.

The ban will apply to all non-American travellers re-entering the U.S. from Brazil, the United Kingdom, Ireland and 26 countries in Europe. There will also be travel restrictions on non-Americans entering the U.S. from South Africa.

It has been confirmed by the principal director of the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), Dr Anne Schuchat, who said: “We are adding South Africa to the restricted list because of the concerning variant present that has already spread beyond South Africa.”

She added the agency was “putting in place this suite of measures to protect Americans and also to reduce the risk of these variants spreading and worsening the current pandemic”. The CDC is concerned that vaccines may be less effective against the COVID-19 variant discovered in South Africa, adding it is up to 50% more infectious than other versions of the virus.

The South African variant

It’s different to another recently discovered variant that scientists have been studying in the UK. Both the new South African and UK ‘Kent’ variants appear to be more contagious, which is a problem because tougher restrictions on society may be needed to control the spread.

While changes in the new UK variant are unlikely to harm the effectiveness of current vaccines, there is a chance those in the South African variant may do so to some extent, say, scientists. It is too soon to say for sure, or by how much, until more tests are completed, although it is extremely unlikely the mutations would render vaccines useless.

Scientists have tested the Pfizer Covid vaccine against one of the mutations found in the South African variant, called N501Y, using blood samples from 20 people. In that preliminary study, vaccination appeared to work against the mutated virus.

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