The New York Post reports that legislation to eliminate the requirement for most foreign travellers arriving in the US to be vaccinated against COVID-19 was passed by the House of Representatives on Wednesday, February 8.
Currently, all adult visitors who aren’t US citizens or permanent residents have to show proof of COVID vaccination before boarding their flight as required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“This policy is out of touch with the rest of the world,” said Brett Guthrie, Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee Health Subcommittee. He said ending the requirement would recognise that COVID-19 was endemic rather than being a pandemic.
In June, the Biden administration dropped its requirement for people arriving in the country by air to test negative for COVID-19 but the CDC vaccination requirements remained. Experts noted that testing did not seem to be serving much purpose, given that COVID-19 was already circulating widely in the US.
According to the publication, the White House said it would review the policy when the Biden administration ended the COVID public health emergency, planned for May 11.
