Unvaccinated travellers may be able to enter the United States sooner than expected after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to immediately end a requirement that foreign air travellers be vaccinated against Covid-19.
Under current laws, adult non-citizens and non-permanent residents entering the U.S. must show proof of vaccination before boarding their flight, with only some exceptions. But that will soon change if the Senate takes up the bill.
Introduced by Republican Representative Thomas Massie, the bill to remove one of the few remaining pandemic travel restrictions was passed by 227 votes to 201, Reuters reported.
Opposing the measure, the White House said the vaccine requirement “has allowed loved ones across the globe to reunite while reducing the spread of COVID-19 and the burdens it places on the health care system in the United States”.
But it still plans to end the Covid public health emergency on 11 May.
“As we approach the end of the public health emergency, the administration will review all relevant policies, including this one,” the White House said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still recommends all travellers vaccinate themselves against Covid-19.
U.S. Travel response
Meanwhile, peak travel industry body, U.S. Travel Association, applauded the passage of the bill, saying “the need for this requirement has long since passed, and we appreciate the bipartisan action by the U.S. House to end this outdated policy”.
“U.S. Travel also sees no reason to uphold the requirement until May – particularly as visitors from around the world plan spring and summer travel,” U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes said in a statement.
“The U.S. is the only country that has maintained this policy, putting at risk valuable visitor spending the longer it remains in place.
“We thank the bill’s sponsors for their efforts and urge the Senate to pass this bill to normalize travel conditions and boost international arrivals as quickly as possible.”
One of seven Democrats to vote yes on the bill, Congressman Brian Higgins said he supported vaccines and their use “as well as science and data to inform public health measures”.
But he lamented the strain the vaccination requirement had placed on his Western New York constituents when travelling to Canada, which lifted its vaccine requirement on 1 October 2022.
In June last year, the U.S. ended the requirement that people arriving in the country by air test negative for Covid-19.