Covid travel: UK visitors may need to prove they are double jabbed to fly to United States

Carlos Anacleto closes his eyes as he receives the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from nurse Jorge Tase, as others wait their turn, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, in Miami Beach, Fla. On Tuesday, the CDC added more than 50,000 new COVID-19 cases in the state over the previous three days, pushing the seven-day average to one the highest counts since the pandemic began, an eightfold increase since July 4. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
A man gets a Covid-19 vaccine in Florida. Credit: AP

UK visitors to the United States may have to prove they are doubled-jabbed as part of president Joe Biden's plan to lift travel restrictions.

The White House is drawing up plans to re-open its borders but with cases in the US rising due to the more transmissible Delta variant, officials are considering a "phased approach" that would require all foreign nationals from all countries need to be "fully vaccinated," a government official told Reuters.

US travel restrictions were first imposed on China in January 2020 to curb the spread of Covid-19. During the course of the pandemic many more countries, including the UK, have been added.

Last month, the White House said that they will “maintain existing travel restrictions” due to the increasing spread of the Covid-19 Delta variant and rising case rates across the continent.

A New York City police officer wears a face mask while standing guard at Yankee Stadium. Credit: AP

It means that most European travellers, including those from the UK, are still be unable enter the US.

Industry officials still think it will be at least weeks and potentially months before restrictions are lifted.

The UK lifted quarantine restrictions for people arriving from the US from 4am on Monday if they have been double vaccinated against Covid-19.

According to Reuters, the White House has been holding discussions with airlines and others in the travel industry about how best to implement a vaccine policy.

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The US government would also need to address the issue of whether to accept vaccines that some countries are using but which have not yet been authorised by US regulators, including the Oxford Astra/Zeneca jab.

Currently, the only foreign travellers allowed to cross by land into the United States from Mexico and Canada are essential workers such as lorry drivers or nurses.

It was not clear how long the administration will maintain existing restrictions but the official reiterated that infections "appear likely to continue to increase in the weeks ahead".

Critics of the restrictions say they no longer make sense because some countries with high rates of Covid-19 infections are not on the restricted list while some countries on the list have the pandemic under control.