It’s A Big Day: United States Ends Travel Bans, Requires Vaccination

It’s A Big Day: United States Ends Travel Bans, Requires Vaccination

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It’s a huge day for travel, as the United States’ nonsensical travel bans have ended as of today (Monday, November 8, 2021), instead being replaced by a new vaccination requirement for foreign visitors. Furthermore, as of today unvaccinated Americans face more stringent testing requirements when returning to the United States.

Let’s go over all the details of what has changed.

United States ends blanket travel bans

As of Monday, November 8, 2021, the United States’ travel bans have come to an end, instead being replaced by a system that requires visitors to be vaccinated.

For context, dating back to the spring of 2020, the United States had a variety of travel bans in place during the pandemic, preventing non-Americans from entering the country if they’ve been in certain foreign countries in the past 14 days. We’ve seen bans against BrazilChinaIndiathe Schengen ZoneSouth Africa, and the United Kingdom, among other countries. These blanket bans now no longer apply.

Vaccinated travelers are allowed in the United States again

United States requires visitors to be vaccinated

Replacing the previous travel bans, as of November 8, 2021, the United States is instead requiring visitors to be vaccinated. All travelers need to provide a negative coronavirus test result — for vaccinated travelers this needs to be within three days, while for unvaccinated travelers this needs to be within one day. There’s no need to quarantine on arrival.

Visitors to the United States have to be vaccinated

What about children visiting the United States?

Children under the age of 18 are exempt from the United States’ vaccination requirement. Instead they just need to have a negative coronavirus test result. For unvaccinated children, the timeline for having to be tested depends on whether or not their parents are vaccinated (which seems a bit odd) — children traveling with vaccinated parents need to be tested within three days of travel, while children traveling with unvaccinated parents need to be tested within one day of travel.

This shouldn’t be a major issue regardless, since the United States accepts a rapid antigen test for entry, and those results are available within minutes.

Unvaccinated children are able to enter the United States

Which vaccines does the United States accept?

For the purposes of entry into the country, the United States recognizes any vaccines authorized by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) or World Health Organization (WHO). That includes the following vaccines:

  • AstraZeneca
  • Johnson & Johnson
  • Moderna
  • Pfizer-BioNTech
  • Sinopharm
  • Sinovac
  • Covishield
  • Covaxin

I’d say this is good news, because it could have been a lot worse if the United States only accepted FDA approved vaccines, and not WHO approved ones. However, it is worth acknowledging that this will shut out some people, including those who had Russia’s Sputnik vaccine.

The United States is excluding certain vaccines

Unvaccinated Americans have new testing requirements

There are also some changes with travel rules for unvaccinated Americans. Previously Americans could always enter the United States as long as they got a coronavirus test within three days of return travel to the country. That has finally changed.

Unvaccinated Americans now need to get tested within one day of their return flight to the United States, rather than within three days. A rapid antigen test still qualifies, so given how quickly those results are available, this shouldn’t be a major issue. Rather it seems that this is intended to create a further incentive to be vaccinated.

Unvaccinated Americans have a stricter testing requirement

This should have happened a long time ago

I’m thrilled to see this new policy finally introduced, as I’ve been disappointed by President Biden’s lack of actions on these travel bans for the nearly 10 months he has been in office. Biden always promised he’d “follow the science,” and there’s simply no denying that these outdated travel bans that did nothing to account for actual risk didn’t in any way follow the science.

The restrictions weren’t based on the epidemiological situation in a country, but rather were based on identifying places that had a bad outbreak at one point, but then the bans were never revisited.

Determining eligibility to enter the United States based on vaccination status makes a lot more sense. Being vaccinated significantly reduces your risk of hospitalization and death, and it’s also believed to reduce your risk of getting coronavirus. Wanting people to be vaccinated makes a lot more sense than a blanket ban based on where someone is coming from.

I think it’s also important to recognize that travel bans go way beyond tourism. You have all kinds of important things that have been lost due to these bans — you have people in long distance relationships, babies have been born, people have died, etc.

Travel bans should have been eliminated a long time ago

Bottom line

The United States has finally changed its travel restrictions as of today, eliminating the blanket travel bans that were in place for a long time. The United States is now welcoming vaccinated travelers from around the world, which was long overdue.

The United States is recognizing any FDA or WHO approved vaccines for these purposes. Children under 18 are exempt from the vaccination requirement. Furthermore, unvaccinated travelers now need to be tested within one day of travel to the United States, rather than within three days of travel.

It’s fantastic to see that these travel bans have finally ended. This is oh-so-overdue.

What do you make of the US eliminating its travel bans?

Conversations (278)
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  1. Efren Guest

    But, if you came to the US illegally, you can enter regardless of your vaccination status and will receive free housing, money, medical care, clothing, food, education and possibly rewarded US$450,000 per head and placed on a bus or flight to a state where the Democrats want them to be added to the voters list with no requirement to be a citizen nor show an ID to vote?

  2. Alan Diamond

    The previous bans made little sense yet determining eligibility to enter the United States based on vaccine type makes even less sense. None of the vaccines prevent infection as best evidenced from the data out of northern Europe where cases are at all time highs, even higher than the same dates last year when there were no vaccines. Apart from forcing people who want to travel to only get certain vaccines what is the point?

  3. iamhere Guest

    This is very single sided with regards to people entering the US. As others mentioned you do not appreciate that the virus could have been much worse if the US had not closed it's borders. You also do not mention that another reason behind this was because other countries closed to US citizens. You have further not discussed or mentioned the other related issues. Flights to and from many destinations remain limited and expensive. There...

    This is very single sided with regards to people entering the US. As others mentioned you do not appreciate that the virus could have been much worse if the US had not closed it's borders. You also do not mention that another reason behind this was because other countries closed to US citizens. You have further not discussed or mentioned the other related issues. Flights to and from many destinations remain limited and expensive. There are many other related costs and issues. While I agree it is good for family reunion and other reasons, there are still many who face issues because of returning to their country if they are coming for a more temporary reason. I don't think an all open strategy was an appropriate way to do this. I think that the US should have had varying levels of open borders with different places kind of like a tit for tat situation. Not everywhere is fully open for Americans. Some are open for varying purposes and/or involve quarantine, etc.

  4. WC Guest

    At least the land border crossings have provided even further relief today for Canadians travelling south to finally visit with those who mean most, as now they only need to provide proof of vaccination.
    This is complete nonsense if you travel by air from Canada into USA, you need Antigen test and if you travel by car - you need your vaccination card.
    Then getting back into Canada via land proves more confusing...

    At least the land border crossings have provided even further relief today for Canadians travelling south to finally visit with those who mean most, as now they only need to provide proof of vaccination.
    This is complete nonsense if you travel by air from Canada into USA, you need Antigen test and if you travel by car - you need your vaccination card.
    Then getting back into Canada via land proves more confusing as you must only use PCR test which is expensive and takes planning (72 hours before). This is the same requirement for entering by air.
    It should be one rule, one or no type of testing both directions whether by land or air.

  5. Jesse Gold

    I'm a US citizen who resides in Russia. I did the responsible thing and got vaccinated. However, I apparently committed the cardinal sin of being vaccinated by Russia's Sputnik vaccine. I got the Russian variant because it was the one I had easiest access to. So, I'm vaccinated, but officially "unvaccinated." When I fly from Vladivostok to New York (or to any other US destination on Aeroflot), I usually book it on a single round-trip...

    I'm a US citizen who resides in Russia. I did the responsible thing and got vaccinated. However, I apparently committed the cardinal sin of being vaccinated by Russia's Sputnik vaccine. I got the Russian variant because it was the one I had easiest access to. So, I'm vaccinated, but officially "unvaccinated." When I fly from Vladivostok to New York (or to any other US destination on Aeroflot), I usually book it on a single round-trip itinerary with a short connection in Moscow. That was no problem before because I could get the PCR test in English within 72 hours in Vladivostok, and they checked the test to verify I could enter the US at check-in at VVO. They just asked for the PCR test, entered the date and printed my boarding passes. No hassle. Now, however, it'll be a pain. It's virtually impossible to get a PCR test in English within 24 hours of departure in Vladivostok. Now, I'll need to first fly to Moscow on a seperate itinerary, then book a hotel and waste time and money, get a PCR test same-day, and book another ticket to New York next day. So, instead of a seamless Moscow connection, it'll just be cumbersome and a royal pain.

    1. Eskimo Guest

      Get a rapid Antigen test. It takes only 15 minutes.

      If you care to read what CDC says.
      -The 1-day count from your FIRST flight.
      -CDC also uses day not hour.
      -PCR isn't the only acceptable test.

      Or just to do you a favor and make it simple for you.
      1.Book VV0-SVO-JFK on the same ticket.
      2.Get a rapid antigen test 1-day before you depart VVO.

      Bonus, get a J&J shot once you land or others with 2 does if you have time.

    2. Jesse Gold

      Are you illiterate? Or just mentally challenged? I said that it isn't possible to get test results in English in Vladivostok within 24 hours. PCR, rapid antigen, etc. The clinics outsource their translating. Therefore, I wouldn't have the result in time to check in for the first flight at VVO, no matter the type of test.
      Considering I am a frequent flyer out of VVO to the US and an Aeroflot Platinum, I am...

      Are you illiterate? Or just mentally challenged? I said that it isn't possible to get test results in English in Vladivostok within 24 hours. PCR, rapid antigen, etc. The clinics outsource their translating. Therefore, I wouldn't have the result in time to check in for the first flight at VVO, no matter the type of test.
      Considering I am a frequent flyer out of VVO to the US and an Aeroflot Platinum, I am well aware of the CDC rules. I am SURE that I know much more than you about booking flights from VVO to JFK, and the requirements. The minimum time I need for test results in English is 48 hours, so I would be denied boarding in VVO if I booked it on the same ticket. Thus, I have to fly to Moscow first on seperate ticket, get the test, and then fly to JFK. Screw you and your rude "just do you a favor" comment.
      As for your dumb suggestion that I get the J&J shot, why would I mix that with the Sputnik? That doesn't sound safe at all!!!
      USE YOUR BRAIN!! Or, at least read and comprehend what I wrote before you reply with some condescending remarks that prove your low IQ level.

    3. Joey Diamond

      Sorry to hear that as I can understand how much a royal pain that would be. I recall testing requirements started in late Jan 2021 under Biden. Since you are US citizen you could have gotten Pfizer/moderna/JJ during one of your trips to the USA. Next time you’re in USA, perhaps get those emed online kits where u can do a self swab rapid test under online supervision (this can be done anywhere in the world where u have a laptop and WiFi connection.)

    4. Jesse Guest

      Unfortunately, Russia doesn't recognize any of those vaccines. As I reside in Russia, I figured it would be best to get one I know will be recognized here. Just in case. Plus, Sputnik is actually a pretty good vaccine. I had no negative side effects after taking the jabs. As for the online kits, thanks for the info!! I'll definitely look into it. I plan to go for Thanksgiving, so not too long from now.

  6. Vinod Guest

    Btw, its not CoviDshield, but Covishield.

  7. Mike Guest

    So what happens to a U.S. citizen who does show up at the border without a recent test?

    They’re US citizens - they can’t be denied admittance and you can’t send them to another country.

    1. Never In Doubt Guest

      These rules are for air travel, not “showing up at the border”.

      Apparently, you haven’t been paying attention for quite some time. Or maybe living under a rock?

      The rules for US citizens entering by air have been the same (except for the test time change for unvaxxed) for a *long* time.

      And yes, during that long time, if you were a US citizen without a negative test result the airline wouldn’t let you board. But I guess that’s a surprise to you given your question.

    2. Joey Diamond

      The test requirement started in late January 2021 under Biden administration. Before that no test was required.

  8. Charlie McMillan Guest

    The Covishield India version of AstraZeneca is also approved by the WHO, bringing the total on the list to 7.

  9. reklea Guest

    My foreign fiancee got her K1 visa approved last week! Our original plan was for her to come over in December and then get married shortly after. She is unvaccinated and even is she was the vaccines she has access to aren't recognized by WHO. Will she have to come here before November 8th now?

  10. craig Guest

    So what about those entering the southern border?

    1. Zip Silver Guest

      Similar rules apply for border crossings from Mexico and Canada. The land borders opened to non-essential travel today as well, for vaccinated individuals.

  11. mike Guest

    If you are vaccinated, it seems really silly to also get tested "within 3 days". Security theater

    1. Sara Harrison Guest

      We will have COVID theatre for years to come

  12. Thijs Guest

    @Mak COVID is already in the US and it will not leave. Vaccination is the only solution.

  13. Mary Guest

    Once again Unvaccinated Americans are treated more poorly than migrants flooding the border. There is no science anywhere to be found.

    1. Stuart Guest

      If up to me you would all be locked down in your homes with guards outside. So consider yourself lucky given how you have all prolonged this nightmare.

    2. Widerightv Member

      Stuart,
      That's very fascist of you

    3. lbk Member

      Good point! Next time you need to enter the US, fly to Mexico and cross with all the migrants at the southern border :-) It seems like the best option for you.

  14. Mark Guest

    What’s the process of vaccinated EU passport holder going to Hawaii?

    1. Giovanna Guest

      I would suppose it's the same as for any other US state. Didn't read anything specific on different rules for different states

    2. Mark Guest

      Well, Hawaii seems to accept only tests from trusted labs which are not in EU. So for ppl flying EU-HNL in one day it is almost impossible, unless they fly AMS-LAX, 5 hour stop, LAX-HNL and are lucky to make an appointment for a 199USD test. That is how I see it but I can be wrong.

    3. TJ Guest

      If you are vaccinated you would be exempt from having to have another test for Hawaii. BUT, I do not know how whether The hawaii safe travels programs will accept or even understand your non-CDC proof of vaccination

  15. Timo Diamond

    But this new rule does not follow the science because the Biden admin is craving out an exception for travellers from 50 countries whose vaccination rate is less than 10% due to lack of availability. So C19 doesn't infect those travellers? Are these travellers really that vital to the economic and physical health of the US? Uh?! Let's go Brandon, yay!

  16. Joe1293 Guest

    I can’t wait for November 8!!

  17. Jill Guest

    wow so many comments
    This why I love OMAT
    Also incredible news can’t wait to get back to traveling again

  18. Gregory Lee Guest

    Let's see; 120,000 Pfizer employees (and Moderna employees) are exempted from vaxing as well as EVERY member of Congress and the Senate. Let's not forget the 2,000,000 undocumented aliens that were ferried all over the country under the cover of darkness (which was okay according to the WH Press Secretary as "they won't be there for very long!"). These are the stupidest people I have ever encountered and their repeated lack of accuracy and logic...

    Let's see; 120,000 Pfizer employees (and Moderna employees) are exempted from vaxing as well as EVERY member of Congress and the Senate. Let's not forget the 2,000,000 undocumented aliens that were ferried all over the country under the cover of darkness (which was okay according to the WH Press Secretary as "they won't be there for very long!"). These are the stupidest people I have ever encountered and their repeated lack of accuracy and logic makes people like me not trust anything they say. Throw in cover ups on thousands of heart failure after vaxing and we have some problems here. Biden announced on TV the other day that the hurricane season compels one to get vaccinated! Oh...let's not for get that South Korea mainstream TV just announced more deaths after two shots than without! (665 vs, 645 to date). Wake up people - when the top scientists testify before the United States Senate and YouTube bans it, there's a nefarious going ons

    1. Vv Guest

      Perhaps you should wake up— you are repeating lies made by people who want us divided. Think about why.

      https://www.reuters.com/article/factcheck-vaccine-mandate/fact-check-white-house-cdc-fda-niaid-pfizer-and-moderna-employees-are-subject-to-vaccine-mandates-idUSL1N2QX1YI

      Flooding misinformation hampers vaccination in Korea
      https://www.koreabiomed.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=12023

      Billions of doses of the various vaccines have been received worldwide. There is no cover up that can suppress real issues that would (by the false rates you fear) affect hundreds of millions, if they existed.

      Perhaps you should wake up— you are repeating lies made by people who want us divided. Think about why.

      https://www.reuters.com/article/factcheck-vaccine-mandate/fact-check-white-house-cdc-fda-niaid-pfizer-and-moderna-employees-are-subject-to-vaccine-mandates-idUSL1N2QX1YI

      Flooding misinformation hampers vaccination in Korea
      https://www.koreabiomed.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=12023

      Billions of doses of the various vaccines have been received worldwide. There is no cover up that can suppress real issues that would (by the false rates you fear) affect hundreds of millions, if they existed.

    2. Foo Blah Guest

      Wow Lucky! This article has brought out the loons who aren’t even regulars to this blog. Just trolling their anti-science, brainwashed talking points. As their furor would say, Sad!

  19. ChadMC Guest

    There is no reason to keep testing fully vaccinated people. They are largely protected. They did the right thing. Let’s move on. Once that requirement is dropped travel will really pick up.

    1. JimATL Guest

      Vaccinated and unvaccinated carry the same viral load, if infected. Vaccinated are also more likely to appear asymptomatic if infected.

    2. MikeL Guest

      Which is precisely why vaccine mandates are so stupid in the first place. Every person I know who have had Covid in the last few months were vaccinated. Same with all these famous people you hear about in the news getting Covid. They're all fully vaccinated! If the vaccines were as effective as they try to make them sound with these vaccine mandates, then there would be zero need for masks or testing for vaccinated...

      Which is precisely why vaccine mandates are so stupid in the first place. Every person I know who have had Covid in the last few months were vaccinated. Same with all these famous people you hear about in the news getting Covid. They're all fully vaccinated! If the vaccines were as effective as they try to make them sound with these vaccine mandates, then there would be zero need for masks or testing for vaccinated people. And they wonder why large swaths of people don't trust what those such as the CDC say.

    3. Stuart Guest

      The testing is not a big deal. Have no idea why people are so opposed to it, even when vaccinated. It takes 20 minutes to do in most EU (and many U.S.) airports - and I seldom have an appointment. Further, testing, which I do weekly when traveling anyway so as to assure a level of responsibility to my colleagues that I visit, is easy and one more example of how to be responsible for...

      The testing is not a big deal. Have no idea why people are so opposed to it, even when vaccinated. It takes 20 minutes to do in most EU (and many U.S.) airports - and I seldom have an appointment. Further, testing, which I do weekly when traveling anyway so as to assure a level of responsibility to my colleagues that I visit, is easy and one more example of how to be responsible for each other during this hell we have been through. Vaccination, weekly testing when traveling, and masking. It's not foolproof, but to me it's like wearing a seatbelt, not speeding at 140mph on the highway, avoiding alcohol when driving, and having your brakes and tires checked every 10K miles. Simple stuff.

  20. Lola Guest

    Hey Ben, what do you make of Air India’s recent privatisation? Do you think this could be a turning point for the airline?

  21. Mike Guest

    I’m so tired of the testing requirements for vaccinated people. Like what more do we have to do?!

  22. ss Guest

    And what about the ban on those illegally entering at the border? Oh yeah, there isn't one.

    1. Jill Guest

      @ss
      what does that have to do with traveling
      Your comment?

    2. Widerightv Member

      Maybe they are traveling across the border? Does it matter if it's legal or illegal?

    3. Giovanna Guest

      Can't help but notice you name SS. Together with your comment makes me think of something that has to do with Germany!!

  23. Alan Diamond

    Pure stupidity. There are many vaccinated in the world who opted to take whatever vaccine was available in their countries with the strong belief that they were protecting themselves and others and will now be banned from entering the US. This specifically applies to a fair number of our neighbors to the South. I guess they will have to choose the illegal route if they want to visit relatives in the US. This has become...

    Pure stupidity. There are many vaccinated in the world who opted to take whatever vaccine was available in their countries with the strong belief that they were protecting themselves and others and will now be banned from entering the US. This specifically applies to a fair number of our neighbors to the South. I guess they will have to choose the illegal route if they want to visit relatives in the US. This has become the equivalent of racism but not based on skin color but based on vaccine manufacturer. Shame on the USA!

  24. Robert Schrader Guest

    The US was open to the vast majority of the world. It's great that travelers from the UK, Europe, Brazil et al can now come back, but why not train our fire on Asian countries? In China, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan, borders are closed to basically all foreigners, irrespective of vaccination status or the reason for travel.

  25. Alonzo Guest

    This is great. But requiring that you've had your vaccine within the past 6 months or have gotten a booster, would have been a much better route. Following what Israel is putting into place would have been ideal.

    1. Alan Diamond

      Ideal in what sense? Cases spiked after booster shots were introduced. If you look at vaccine status around the world, you will see that cases and vaccine percentages rarely have any correlation. Compare the US to Singapore and Lithuania as an example.

    2. Alonzo Guest

      Singapore is under restrictions. I was speaking about what Israel is doing with visitors. You know, because vaccine efficacy declines after 6 months.

    3. ken Guest

      And then ask for another booster shot after another 6 months?

  26. Anonymous Guest

    For passengers who are not fully vaccinated, the rules will tighten to require a test taken no more than one day before departing to the United States.

    Does this mean unvaccinated tourists can also travel to US with one day testing? The CDC page says passengers, not citizens.

    1. AA Guest

      NO, the one day rule is for unvaccinated US citizens/permanent residents, not visitors.

  27. jfhscott Guest

    We should have tried stopping covid at the boarder 19 months ago. I simply cannot fathom how, when we were awash in cases and domestic behaviors contributed to spread more than foreigners possibly might, Germans could not enter into the US.

    And please dump the PCR test requirement (or make it specific to countries to which one has travelled) for vaccinated individuals. It is as if the Biden administration does not know how to use...

    We should have tried stopping covid at the boarder 19 months ago. I simply cannot fathom how, when we were awash in cases and domestic behaviors contributed to spread more than foreigners possibly might, Germans could not enter into the US.

    And please dump the PCR test requirement (or make it specific to countries to which one has travelled) for vaccinated individuals. It is as if the Biden administration does not know how to use a carrot OR a stick.

    At bottom, bans and testing requirements are blunt objects - better outcomes and preferable behaviors (like getting the vax) can be had with small bits of fine tuning the policy.

  28. persian lime Guest

    This policy should have been lifted long ago but wasn't to push the vaccine narrative. While it has been proven that vaccines often help lessen the severity or death from Covid-19 they are not fool proof and they do not prevent people from contracting and spreading the virus. In other words they don't prevent the spread or tranmission.

    They are also very discriminatory against people who have already had COVID and recovered. Studies now show...

    This policy should have been lifted long ago but wasn't to push the vaccine narrative. While it has been proven that vaccines often help lessen the severity or death from Covid-19 they are not fool proof and they do not prevent people from contracting and spreading the virus. In other words they don't prevent the spread or tranmission.

    They are also very discriminatory against people who have already had COVID and recovered. Studies now show that they have a far better immunity than the vaccines provide - but of course those studies are suppressed in the USA. Further they discriminate against individuals who cannot have the vaccines for medical or religious reasons. The science continues to be ignored.

    The best policy is to forget vaccine passports and have everyone tested. It is the most scientific and it doesn't discriminate.

  29. maggy Guest

    Vaccination DOES NOT eliminate the possibility of someone contracting COVID...it reduces the probability of the individual becoming extremely ill. Because vaccinated individuals are less likely to be symptomatic they may actually pose a greater risk of exposing others to the virus.

    1. persian lime Guest

      Maggy, You are absolutely right. We need to get back to real sceince and the facts rather than the fiction that has been promoted.

    2. DTS Guest

      Yes and no. While the IgA concentration on mucous membranes drops a lot faster after a vaccination (and recovery from the disease) than we had hoped, and therefore can not fully prevent transmission, they do exist and decrease viral load. Recent data shows that those infected with Delta after/despite a vaccination are less likely to transmit it than those that had not been vaccinated.

    3. jfhscott Guest

      What is your source on this?

      The fact is communities that have higher vaccination concentrations have had far better outcomes with the delta surge. The vaccination is highly effective at reducing the probability of people getting the virus in the first instance. No infection means no spreading.

      Enough already on the myth that vaccinated people with asymptomatic cases are at a greater risk for exposing others to the virus. So serious evaluations, much less peer...

      What is your source on this?

      The fact is communities that have higher vaccination concentrations have had far better outcomes with the delta surge. The vaccination is highly effective at reducing the probability of people getting the virus in the first instance. No infection means no spreading.

      Enough already on the myth that vaccinated people with asymptomatic cases are at a greater risk for exposing others to the virus. So serious evaluations, much less peer reviewed ones, support this thesis.

    4. Honkbert Gold

      Is a peer-reviewed study from Cornell, published in the New England Journal of Medicine acceptable?

      "Estimated BNT162b2 effectiveness against any SARS-CoV-2 infection was negligible in the first 2 weeks after the first dose. It increased to 36.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 33.2 to 40.2) in the third week after the first dose and reached its peak at 77.5% (95% CI, 76.4 to 78.6) in the first month after the second dose. Effectiveness declined gradually thereafter,...

      Is a peer-reviewed study from Cornell, published in the New England Journal of Medicine acceptable?

      "Estimated BNT162b2 effectiveness against any SARS-CoV-2 infection was negligible in the first 2 weeks after the first dose. It increased to 36.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 33.2 to 40.2) in the third week after the first dose and reached its peak at 77.5% (95% CI, 76.4 to 78.6) in the first month after the second dose. Effectiveness declined gradually thereafter, with the decline accelerating after the fourth month to reach approximately 20% in months 5 through 7 after the second dose."

      So after five months, you're at 20%, unless you're over 60, in which case your protection form infection is at 10% at that point.

      Waning of BNT162b2 Vaccine Protection against SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Qatar
      https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2114114

    5. Vv Guest

      This study’s results don’t mean what you think it means.

      Based on what you quoted, it studied the sterilizing immunity from infection at all (which vaccines are not really designed to do— they’re not a force field, but for which the COVID vaccines have a very high level of protection from infection, at least for a while). It did not study the other immune responses that ramp up to clear an infection if a...

      This study’s results don’t mean what you think it means.

      Based on what you quoted, it studied the sterilizing immunity from infection at all (which vaccines are not really designed to do— they’re not a force field, but for which the COVID vaccines have a very high level of protection from infection, at least for a while). It did not study the other immune responses that ramp up to clear an infection if a virus does take hold.

      Vaccinated people are much less likely to get infected, then have much shorter incubation periods which means less risk of spread, and previous studies of levels of viral particles did not determine if those particles were dead bits or still infectious (the likelihood is there is a fair amount of uninfectious viral matfer).

      So, summary:

      1) Less risk of getting infected
      2) Shorter duration of illness
      3) Less risk of spread

      In additions to much much less risk of serious illness/hospitalization.

    6. Robert Guest

      Perhaps you should quote the whole section of the results from the NEJM, which clearly states:

      Effectiveness against any severe, critical, or fatal case of Covid-19 increased rapidly to 66.1% (95% CI, 56.8 to 73.5) by the third week after the first dose and reached 96% or higher in the first 2 months after the second dose; effectiveness persisted at approximately this level for 6 months.

      Or simply quote the conclusions:

      BNT162b2-induced...

      Perhaps you should quote the whole section of the results from the NEJM, which clearly states:

      Effectiveness against any severe, critical, or fatal case of Covid-19 increased rapidly to 66.1% (95% CI, 56.8 to 73.5) by the third week after the first dose and reached 96% or higher in the first 2 months after the second dose; effectiveness persisted at approximately this level for 6 months.

      Or simply quote the conclusions:

      BNT162b2-induced protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection appeared to wane rapidly following its peak after the second dose, but protection against hospitalization and death persisted at a robust level for 6 months after the second dose.

      This is exactly what the original post was claiming! Plus, there is absolutely nothing about viral load in the article, which you infer from your answer.

      Please don't distribute partial truth, as it can be more damaging than no information and, most importantly, abused by non-experts (majority).

  30. Lori Guest

    No, banning travel did not prevent the spread of Covid 19. Air travel is extremely safe, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated. Hubby is a flight attendant and has never gotten sick! Has worked through the entire pandemic. Furthermore, vaccinated people are spreading covid and getting sick too.

  31. Yolanda Cordova-Gilbert Guest

    Ben,
    The article does not clearly state if you are fully vaccinated and an American do you have to get tested, I would assume if visitors do not we do not either?

  32. Alan Guest

    Is the rapid covid test accepted before boarding ? travelling from South Africa to America

  33. eric Guest

    Maybe stupid question but I get lost in continuously changing rules which are not clear.
    So, if I’m fully vaccinated with one of the approved vaccines AND do a 72 hour advance PCR (?) test I’m allowed entry? No extra measures or testing in USA? Can I freely drive through all the states?
    That would be great news.

  34. Alan Diamond

    The land borders still permit Americans without testing and will continue to do so. Americans who have tested positive in Mexico are known to change their plans and fly to Tijuana, walk across the border to San Diego and catch a flight home as they consider this a better option than waiting in Mexico So much for keeping covid out and shame on them for exposing Mexicans to a possible infection.

  35. DENIS A BEKAERT Guest

    Of course the administration simply ignores the influx of thousands of immigrants crossing the southern borders every month without any requirement for testing or vaccination status. Absolute insanity in the face of vaccine and mask mandates for American citizens . They claim to be "following the science " but only do so only when it fits their agenda.
    Troll Alert: my entire family is vaccinated.

    1. de Guest

      You are so correct with the nvaxed untested flocking illegally to us and them being planed/bussed/or trained to wherever with NO protocols in place to protect the legal taxpaying citizens of the US!!

  36. CharliePlesums New Member

    A vaccinated American still has to be tested (I have heard of costs as high as $350 from some places) before being allowed to enter the USA. When will vaccinated Americans be allowed to enter freely, like pre-covid days?

    1. John Guest

      I believe it would be the same time we can walk through TSA with our shoes on, but not before we are allowed to bring a water bottle.

    2. dee Guest

      The tests to get to the UK(for an entry visa) via their socialists health system cost 128 pounds each and then you need it done again according to their protocols... nuts
      The US is missing out on lots of $$$ revenue by not mandating government run tests like the UK tourist SCAM.

  37. Commonsense Guest

    I'm all for PCR testing. Why do unvaccinated have to test after arrival but vaccinated don't? The vaccinated can still get and carry Covid. Everyone should be tested.

    1. Florian Guest

      Waste of resources. But go ahead if you wish to create a "lab pandemic".

    2. Eileen Kerrigan Guest

      Given the high percentage of false positives in PCR testing, it's a waste of resources in general.

    3. Vv Guest

      PCR almost never gives a false positive. False negative is another story, and is bad.

      https://medical.mit.edu/faqs/faq-testing-covid-19

    4. Honkbert Gold

      Contrary to popular belief, rapid tests are much better at stopping transmission than PCR tests. They can instantly determine if someone is contagious with a sensitivity of 97%.

  38. echino Diamond

    Will Aeroflot end its US flights? Or at least severely reduce them? I cannot see how Aeroflot can possibly sustain its current flights to the US with Sputnik V not being accepted.

    1. Tjk Guest

      How difficult you think it will be to get a piece of paper saying you have been vaccinated with Pfizer or Moderna in countries like India or Russia? I bet you will be able to buy them for a few bucks. Since there is no common vaccine passport, there will be rampant misuse and there is no control. They could have said - we only accept digitally verifiable proofs like the EU wide vaccine passport but oh no, let's just accept whatever.

    2. Jesse Guest

      I hope not. I'm a US citizen who lives in Russia. Of course, I have the Russian vaccine, but it'll be useless for getting me into the US. The 24-hour testing rule for unvaccinated travellers is completely assinine and poorly thought out. For example, I live in a far-flung region of Russia where getting a PCR result in English within 24 hours is simply impossible. So, instead of buying one round-trip ticket to New York...

      I hope not. I'm a US citizen who lives in Russia. Of course, I have the Russian vaccine, but it'll be useless for getting me into the US. The 24-hour testing rule for unvaccinated travellers is completely assinine and poorly thought out. For example, I live in a far-flung region of Russia where getting a PCR result in English within 24 hours is simply impossible. So, instead of buying one round-trip ticket to New York (Aeroflot checks your PCR result at the originating airport if you connect in Moscow on one itinerary to get to the US), I'll need to buy a seperate ticket to Moscow, then get the test, and then buy another ticket to NY. It's more costly and wastes a day. US citizens should NEVER be subjected to such draconian measures when it come to entering their homeland.
      That being said, the Russian vaccine is better than any of the garbage ones produced in the USA. It's simply political BS that prevents it being approved by the FDA and WHO.

    3. SBS Guest

      Anyone living in Russia who wants a real vaccine can travel to Serbia and get Pfizer. There are tour operator that organize those trips. Inside Russia, of course, ONLY Russian vaccines are recognized - imperialists are not welcome.

  39. Gabe Guest

    So to be clear, one will still need to get tested before flying back to the U.S. even if one is vaccinated? If so, the regulation is still a joke. If going to test for Covid19, how about requiring tests for other coronaviruses, rhinoviruses, influenza, strep, yellow fever, measles, etc? The world is full of diseases, so we need to stop acting like we want to live in a sterile environment. Also, it is ridiculous...

    So to be clear, one will still need to get tested before flying back to the U.S. even if one is vaccinated? If so, the regulation is still a joke. If going to test for Covid19, how about requiring tests for other coronaviruses, rhinoviruses, influenza, strep, yellow fever, measles, etc? The world is full of diseases, so we need to stop acting like we want to live in a sterile environment. Also, it is ridiculous to assume that someone that may test negative three days before may not be contagious, let alone have another communicable disease.

    1. Alex Guest

      That is a silly question. 700,000 people have died from COVID in the US so it is a real threat and real concern. Other coronaviruses, rhinoviruses, influenza, strep, yellow fever, and measles do not pose the anywhere the same threat. If they did I am sure similar vaccine and testing requirements would be in place.

  40. Jeffrey I Chang Guest

    What I do not understand is why we are not mandating stricter limitations based on when a person was masked given that by six months protection against infection declines to 47%.

    1. Florian Guest

      To protect whom? The unvaccinated?

  41. Nick Guest

    Vaccinated Americans (not visitors to America) returning home…still required to test within 72 hours?

    1. Nick Guest

      Sorry just saw all travelers…why would I think the govt would make rules that made sense?!

    2. Kyle Guest

      Because vaccinated travellers can still carry the virus but go on…?

    3. Eileen Kerrigan Guest

      Well, there's no profit in that :-D

  42. JJ Guest

    I still don't understand the point of vaccinated US Citizens being required to test within 3 days of returning home.

    1. Kyle Guest

      Because vaccinated people can still carry the virus most likely?

    2. Florian Guest

      And how has testing prevented that so far?

    3. Kyle Guest

      I’m sure it’s stopped people from coming in with COVID…? Do you really think the spread of COVID now is caused by international travelling and lack of testing to come into the states?

      How do you even think COVID spread to other places..? Through travelling…? But go off lol….

    4. Florian Guest

      I am not sure if you are trying to be sarcastic or if two Kyles are at work here talking to themselves? :D Of course testing has stopped a few individuals, but obviously hasn't stopped the virus from becoming endemic almost everywhere.

  43. Ed Guest

    Title should have been: "United State Ends Travel Ban, Requires Vaccinated AND Testing".
    In short, nothing changed for Americans returning. Sure, Europeans and others can now visit, but I doubt they want to go through the cost of getting ESTA approval AND getting tested.
    Cheaper to stay in Europe with no testing and no visa requirements.

    1. Florian Guest

      ESTA is what, 14 USD? The test is cumbersome, admittedly. However for us Europeans the worst that can happen is you have to cancel if trip if the test comes back positive, an American would be stuck here for up to two weeks instead. So more of a deterrent for Americans to come to Europe than for Europeans to go to the US, in my humble opinion.

  44. Chris Guest

    I primarily see this as another way to replace a black-and-white solution to a complex question with another black-and-white solution. But, that's US for ya :)

  45. sxc7885 Member

    I am curious how this testing after arrival will work for unvaccinated. I wonder if it will be a mix of the honor system that you actually go and get it and something similar to the UK 2nd day test where you have to show proof of a purchased/scheduled test within so many days after arrival before you can board the departure airport.

    1. Eileen Kerrigan Guest

      My guess is that they'll declare the honor system isn't working, and move closer to the Australian dictatorship, in which police officer can show up at your house any time, day or night, to make sure you're following the rules.

      If you haven't looked into what's happening there now, please do. It's absolutely terrifying.

    2. Alex Guest

      Wait, are you saying that police officers in Australia actually enforce the law? That is outrageous!

    3. Ray Guest

      It’s terrifying that you agree to get tested and law enforcement checks that you accomplished the test? Next thing will be police arrest you when you kill someone. Smfh.

    4. platy Guest

      @ Eileen Kerrigan

      Yes, we're absolutely terrified living here. A police car drove by when I was walking the dog this morning. The officers smiled and waved - how dare they abuse their powers by being wantonly friendly with members of the community going about their lawful business.

      There are police forces within each state and territory - and, apparently (given your comment) they shouldn't been entrusted with their functions of protecting life and...

      @ Eileen Kerrigan

      Yes, we're absolutely terrified living here. A police car drove by when I was walking the dog this morning. The officers smiled and waved - how dare they abuse their powers by being wantonly friendly with members of the community going about their lawful business.

      There are police forces within each state and territory - and, apparently (given your comment) they shouldn't been entrusted with their functions of protecting life and property, preserving peace and safety, preventing crime and upholding the law with due regard for the public good and the rights of the individuals.

      Most shockingly, that includes making random checks on a sample of folk who have been granted special exemptions to quarantine at home rather than at a hotel, in other words comply with public health orders made legally under the operant laws of state health care by a democratically elected government.

      But clearly, you believe folk should be free to break the law, spread COVID, and cause severe illness and death in others members of the community without any checks and balances.

      Shockingly, the Australian system has helped to limit deaths from COVID - my local state has lost 7 people to the disease compared with 750,000 odd in the USA. But that came at cost - most folk for most the time complying with health directives made by elected representatives with due consultation with their medical officers, under a democratic and legal framework and within the aegis of the national constitution. Extraordinary stuff indeed.

    5. AA Guest

      They already call you after returning to the US. I had calls for up to 10 days after returning last month checking if I was showing any symptoms and if I had been tested, and also offering the vaccine in my home if I wanted it. Other states may vary, but that is certainly the current situation in NY

  46. NYGuy24 Diamond

    Meanwhile there was a lab in the UK where it was just announced that they told over 40,000 people that they did not have covid when it turns out they did, but sure let's have a testing requirement.

  47. Cedric Pinsonnault Guest

    Canada just has to drop the silly test on the way back from vacinated people...until then I don't think many people will make day trips. Day trips are huge part of the traffic.

  48. Lynn wright Guest

    When will we be told from which date in November?

    1. Todd Guest

      Probably the day before!

  49. Jill Guest

    So many comments congratulations

  50. Dr. Dj Guest

    It does call my attention that US embassies are rescheduelling VISA requirements and/or renovations already to 2023 ! It`s hard to understand why they are still close in first place.

    1. Eskimo Guest

      Google Translate fail!!!!!

      No requirements, you never need a vee-eye-es-aey (all caps normally mean the credit card, not the document) to enter an us embassy.
      Unless you are a kon-trak-ter, renovating the Embassy is probably none of your business.

    2. Alan Diamond

      What he means is appointments for obtaining and/or renewing a US visa are now full until 2023.

  51. Towelie196 Member

    The most highly vaccinated locations have the highest volume of testing. Iceland is a perfect example, testing has increased dramatically since they require them to enter the country. Your logic is saying that someone who is unvaccinated and ends up sick for weeks will spread Covid just as much as an asymptomatic vaccinated person who tests positive for a few days?

    Also, who cares if you still end up with Covid while vaccinated or...

    The most highly vaccinated locations have the highest volume of testing. Iceland is a perfect example, testing has increased dramatically since they require them to enter the country. Your logic is saying that someone who is unvaccinated and ends up sick for weeks will spread Covid just as much as an asymptomatic vaccinated person who tests positive for a few days?

    Also, who cares if you still end up with Covid while vaccinated or transmit it while vaccinated, that will only impact the unvaccinated since they are the ones who will likely die. If you are vaccinated you will have a far greater chance of survival. Hence the reason for the vaccine requirements. No tourists clogging up your hospitals, prevent responsible vaccinated citizens from receiving urgent care.

    1. Honkbert Gold

      Funny that you mention Iceland, with the chief epidemiologist there being in complete disagreement with your claims:

      "What has happened in the past two to three weeks is that the Delta variant has taken over all other variants in Iceland. And it has come to light that vaccinated individuals can contract it relatively easily and spread infection. Sequencing has shown us that the origin of most domestic infections can be traced to group events such...

      Funny that you mention Iceland, with the chief epidemiologist there being in complete disagreement with your claims:

      "What has happened in the past two to three weeks is that the Delta variant has taken over all other variants in Iceland. And it has come to light that vaccinated individuals can contract it relatively easily and spread infection. Sequencing has shown us that the origin of most domestic infections can be traced to group events such as clubbing in downtown Reykjavík or group trips abroad."

      How long is someone with COVID contagious? Let's ask the CDC: "the statistically estimated likelihood of recovering replication-competent virus approaches zero by 10 days or more than three days after recovery.” So it's pretty safe to say that after nine days you are no longer contagious. A vaccinated person clears the virus a bit faster. Since >99% of virus is found within a period of a couple of days during which there is no difference between vaccinated and unvaccinated people in viral load (Singapore study: greater viral load in vaccinated people, but unlikely to be significant). No, I don't think that vaccinated and unvaccinated people contribute equally to transmission. Most likely, it is vaccinated people who contribute more. They are less likely to become symptomatic, so they are less likely to show "sickness behaviour" (stay in bed) and they are less likely to be avoided by others due to their lack of symptoms (no disgust response). In other words: vaccination messes with our behavioural immune system on both sides of the equation. Since test requirements generally only apply to unvaccinated people, someone who is vaccinated is also less likely to be identified by a test. Also worth considering: a vaccinated person can still catch COVID. This chance is much higher than the chance of someone who has recovered from COVID to get reinfected, posing much less of a risk to others. Science Magazine: "the risk of developing symptomatic COVID-19 was 27 times higher among the vaccinated, and the risk of hospitalization eight times higher."

      I find it a bit silly to still pretend that vaccination reduces transmission, when even the CDC director said back in July: "Today, some of those data were published in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), demonstrating that Delta infection resulted in similarly high SARS-CoV-2 viral loads in vaccinated and unvaccinated people. High viral loads suggest an increased risk of transmission and raised concern that, unlike with other variants, vaccinated people infected with Delta can transmit the virus." Holding on to this lie any longer is likely to damage trust in all vaccines, in the long term.

      On September 25, 2021 (most current date on Our World in Data), Iceland performs 4.15 test/1,000 inhabitants with 94.86/million testing positive. On September 25, 2020, these numbers were 7.42/1,000 and 137.72/million. So your claim that incidence remaining high is sufficiently explained by more testing isn't supported by the numbers. If that were the case, the present rate would have to be even lower.

      I thought we were discussing whether vaccines prevent transmission, not risk of death, but OK, let's switch the subject. My risk of catching and dying from COVID in the next 90 days is 0.0038% according to the University of Oxford's risk assessment tool QCOVID. What you label as "likely", I label as "unlikely". For me, "likely" is a >50% chance but when it comes to the risk of dying, I would obviously try to avoid events that are very unlikely. After all, even in Russian Roulette, the odds are very much in your favour and I wouldn't want to play. People differ in what risks they are willing to accept. Maybe if I were much older, morbidly obese or suffering from other conditions. I won't deny that vaccination reduces your risk of dying from COVID (although it didn't reduce overall mortality in the follow-up to the Pfizer trial). At the same time, I find it silly to deny that this risk is extremely stratified by age and co-morbidities.

      In Germany, in the age group 40-49, there are presently 213 people with COVID in intensive care. That constitutes less than 1% of ICU occupancy. Even if they were all unvaccinated, I fail to see how exactly they would be "clogging up" hospitals.

      If your personal risk assessment determines that vaccination is the best path, that's what you should do. I don't think it is justified to become all self-congratulatory and equate vaccination with being responsible (it would be different with the measles vaccine, though). First and foremost, vaccination against COVID is in your own interest (nothing wrong with that). Given that you can still transmit but are less likely to protect others by being tested and less likely to develop symptoms, protection by getting tested would be much more effective. After all, testing prevents transmission and vaccination doesn't.

  52. Gary Guest

    Good article. I enjoyed reading it.

    My take is that the root cause the reluctance to let foreigns visit the US is America's traditional isolationism and its long-term habit of "following the political science" rather than just the science.

  53. Speedbird Guest

    I still dont understand why they are still requiring negative covid tests for vaccinated Americans returning to the US. Some countries are milking these tests at $150 each and banning rapid at home tests because they were losing out on their own overpriced covid tests.

    1. Honkbert Gold

      Probably because they want to curb transmission without openly acknowledging that vaccination is a far less effective means of reducing transmission than natural immunity and rapid tests.

  54. AGrumpyOldMan_GA Diamond

    Don’t kid yourself. The Biden administration has little intention of following science. As Ben Shapiro has brilliantly outlined in his recent book The Authoritarian Moment, the left adheres to politicized “science,” which he deems The Science (TM). I think the vaccination require for international visitors is wise, but there are many wise steps that could have been taken by various politicians over the last 18 months that weren’t.

    1. Chuck Guest

      You lost all credibility at "Ben Shapiro".

  55. flyinryan Guest

    "Biden Administration" and "disappointed" are two things that seem to go hand-in-hand lately

  56. AJ23 Guest

    Meanwhile in the Democratic People’s Republic of Koalastan, you are banned from returning home to Brisbane if you are in Sydney. And everyone is banned from WA by Supreme Leader McGowan.

    1. platy Guest

      @ AJ23

      Believe whatever you want.

      For the sake of those interested in verifiable facts (which can easily be checked on the respective state government websites):

      1) No, you are not banned from returning home from Brisbane from Sydney - but you do need to quarantine (if you have been in a declared COVID hot zone).

      2) No, it is not the case that everyone is banned from WA: currently entry is open to those...

      @ AJ23

      Believe whatever you want.

      For the sake of those interested in verifiable facts (which can easily be checked on the respective state government websites):

      1) No, you are not banned from returning home from Brisbane from Sydney - but you do need to quarantine (if you have been in a declared COVID hot zone).

      2) No, it is not the case that everyone is banned from WA: currently entry is open to those from low risk areas (Northern Territory, South Australia and Tasmania, and from tomorrow, Queensland).

      Meanwhile in the former British penal colony of Amerigoround, where certain politicians refuse to accept the democratic process of the presidential election, around 1,700 folk tragically continue to die every day from COVID, pushing the total number of dead to be three times greater than the total population of the entire Northern Territory in Australia.

      Try lending some perspective, AJ23, consider COVID mortality in the USA is reported at 2,270 per million people. In the Australian state of WA it's 3.3 per million.

      The death toll in the US is 700 times worse than that of West Australia per person.

      Which is why the Premier of WA was re-elected with an increase from 40 to 53 seats (down from 18 to and just 6 seats to opposing political parties).

      PS. Koalas are not native to West Australia...;)

  57. Jake212 Guest

    @Never In Doubt

    Trolling?

    Or an idiot? (Since every person traveling to the US requires a negative Covid test 72-hours before arrival and the illegals coming across the southern border are allowed entry with NO test).

    Hard to tell.

  58. D3kingg Guest

    I wanna go back to China without this 14 day quarantine nonsense. I have girls over there. Betting American will only serve Shanghai 2X weekly and the flights will be packed.

    1. Joe Guest

      Congratulations that’s awesome

  59. Donna Diamond

    As someone who actually has traveled internationally regularly for business throughout the pandemic starting in June 2020 until my trip that departs tomorrow for Rome, I can tell you that this is excellent news, at least from my vantage point. First, to be clear, yesterday, I have taken my umpteenth PCR test ($125) now required to enter Italy since new restrictions went into effect recently, which from all accounts are the result of Biden’s lack...

    As someone who actually has traveled internationally regularly for business throughout the pandemic starting in June 2020 until my trip that departs tomorrow for Rome, I can tell you that this is excellent news, at least from my vantage point. First, to be clear, yesterday, I have taken my umpteenth PCR test ($125) now required to enter Italy since new restrictions went into effect recently, which from all accounts are the result of Biden’s lack of reciprocity with respect to allowing EU vaccinated travelers in, while allowing Americans to enter with just proof of vaccine status in many countries. I also have to test coming back like everyone else. Fully vaccinated BTW. There is always stress and expense and time wasted associated with getting the results back in time, loading up QR codes and the biggest worry is a false positive not to mention genuine positive. So, to paint the US unvaccinated as victims is outrageous. Vaccinated Patriotic Americans are paying the price for the current pandemic of the unvaccinated in the USA. This should have been over months ago. The righteous anger of the 75% of vaccinated American adults cannot be understated.

  60. Alan Diamond

    This seems like nothing more than a means to get more Americans vaccinated since they will require two tests.
    This policy is completely nonsensical since even a vaccinated person can still spread the disease. They should be doubly tested as well if the point is to prevent spread.
    Rachel Maddow proclaimed six months ago that the vaccine would prevent you from getting covid and passing it on. Now that we know this false,...

    This seems like nothing more than a means to get more Americans vaccinated since they will require two tests.
    This policy is completely nonsensical since even a vaccinated person can still spread the disease. They should be doubly tested as well if the point is to prevent spread.
    Rachel Maddow proclaimed six months ago that the vaccine would prevent you from getting covid and passing it on. Now that we know this false, why are we concerned about someone's vaccination status? And those with natural immunity, now proven to be better than that obtained via vaccines are excluded unless they get vaccinated. NONE OF THIS BASED ON SCIENCE.

    1. snic Guest

      Vaccines do reduce the likelihood that you will transmit the disease. Vaccinated individuals are less likely to be infected than unvaccinated individuals at any given time. If you aren't infected, you can't transmit the disease. Furthermore, even if a vaccinated person gets infected, their viral load tends to be lower and symptoms are less severe. The likelihood of transmission to someone else is lower under those conditions.

      So, while you are correct that "even a...

      Vaccines do reduce the likelihood that you will transmit the disease. Vaccinated individuals are less likely to be infected than unvaccinated individuals at any given time. If you aren't infected, you can't transmit the disease. Furthermore, even if a vaccinated person gets infected, their viral load tends to be lower and symptoms are less severe. The likelihood of transmission to someone else is lower under those conditions.

      So, while you are correct that "even a vaccinated person can still spread the disease", their lower risk of spreading the disease justifies a lower degree of testing vigilance.

    2. NYGuy24 Diamond

      Except that vaccines are known to drastically reduce the risk of hospitalization and death, they reduce the length of the infection and vaccinated people are indeed less likely to be infected than unvaccinated people and if they do get infected they do not spread covid as easily as unvaccinated people. Thanks for playing.

  61. Moisheh Guest

    What is happening with land borders

  62. S_LEE Gold

    It's still unclear if those who got mixed combination of vaccines will be able to enter the United States. In some countries like South Korea, UK and Canada, some people got Astrazeneca/Oxford as the 1st shot and Pfizer/Moderna as the 2nd shot. It is an approved method in those countries and researches have proven that it greatly improves the efficacy.

  63. Ben Guest

    I agree that the ban ending has been a long time coming. But vaccine inequality is a big issue here. This change in policy effectively bans any non-citizen who wants to get vaccinated but has been unable to do so due to lack of vaccines. The US and other countries with large (including expiring!) stockpiles need to give them away or sell them at cost to countries that cannot afford them. Also, relax the IP,...

    I agree that the ban ending has been a long time coming. But vaccine inequality is a big issue here. This change in policy effectively bans any non-citizen who wants to get vaccinated but has been unable to do so due to lack of vaccines. The US and other countries with large (including expiring!) stockpiles need to give them away or sell them at cost to countries that cannot afford them. Also, relax the IP, manufacturing, and other rules and restrictions that keep countries from accessing and manufacturing vaccines. Folks will cry foul but the new variants emerge in places where large numbers of folks are unvaccinated. So if we want to be safe and protected then we need to help get the whole world vaccinated. Oh and Moderna got US$2.5 Billion from US government entities (i.e. our taxpayer dollars or debt) to develop their vaccine so they can certainly afford to sell doses at cost.

  64. Mark S. Guest

    I believe the Administration still has not provided concrete dates as of 9/29/21. Does anyone know otherwise?

  65. Doug Guest

    So we will now be in a situation where every passenger on the inbound international aircraft is vaccinated AND has a negative covid test, yet we will still be subjected an insane and unscientific mask mandate. Such nonsense.

    1. Luke Guest

      I agree but guess it can be argued there will still be unvaccinated kids under 12 on the plane to protect.

    2. Dick Bupkiss Guest

      No. Trumpist morons will still be on the plane with you, alongside all the rational people who have been vaccinated. That's a valid reason to keep the in-flight mask mandate in place. For the same reason, we will be stuck wearing masks forever.

    3. David Guest

      Please stop with the insulting, juvenile comments. Just because someone didn't support the same candidate that you did, does not make them morons, racists or bad people.

      Obviously you have no logical or coherent arguments to justify why you voted the way you did, so you have to resort to name calling.

      Oh yes - I know Biden voters who didn't get the vaccine either.

  66. Jeffrey I Chang Guest

    Why are we allowing persons with less effective vaccines into this county?
    Sinopharm
    Sinovac

    1. Eskimo Guest

      So after racial discrimination, gender discrimination, and so many discrimination.
      And the fight for equality, my body my right, etc.

      USA have reached the point of vaccine discrimination.

      MAGA!!!!!

    2. Jumpseatflyer Guest

      The Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines are actually not so bad. Real world studies have shown that they are relatively effective. In addition, the AZ vaccine is also not the most effective, but all of them reduce the risk of ending up in intensive care drastically.

      Furthermore, if we want to finally come back to a world with freedom of movement and open borders, we cannot discriminate based on vaccine status. And... as bad as the...

      The Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines are actually not so bad. Real world studies have shown that they are relatively effective. In addition, the AZ vaccine is also not the most effective, but all of them reduce the risk of ending up in intensive care drastically.

      Furthermore, if we want to finally come back to a world with freedom of movement and open borders, we cannot discriminate based on vaccine status. And... as bad as the relationship between the US and China is right now, locking each other out is definitely not the way to improve mutual understanding and foster economic ties.

    3. Jeffrey I Chang Guest

      "The Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines are actually not so bad. Real world studies have shown that they are relatively effective."

      Are they as effective our mRNA vaccines? Recent studies have indicated that natural immunity is about as effective as the mRNA vaccine. Now if we are going to force mRNA persons to get vaccinated than we should have a baseline of immunity that is acceptable. I don't see how its logical to allow persons...

      "The Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines are actually not so bad. Real world studies have shown that they are relatively effective."

      Are they as effective our mRNA vaccines? Recent studies have indicated that natural immunity is about as effective as the mRNA vaccine. Now if we are going to force mRNA persons to get vaccinated than we should have a baseline of immunity that is acceptable. I don't see how its logical to allow persons that POSSIBLY have lower baseline immunity into this country.

    4. Eskimo Guest

      "Are they as effective our mRNA vaccines?"

      By "Our", you mean BioNTech which is German?
      Or Pfizer which is founded a German immigrant?
      Or Moderna whose founder is Canadian?
      The type of vaccine doesn't need to be possessive unless you are the center of it.

      "I don't see how its logical to allow persons that POSSIBLY have lower baseline immunity into this country."
      So those people becomes inferior to you? I...

      "Are they as effective our mRNA vaccines?"

      By "Our", you mean BioNTech which is German?
      Or Pfizer which is founded a German immigrant?
      Or Moderna whose founder is Canadian?
      The type of vaccine doesn't need to be possessive unless you are the center of it.

      "I don't see how its logical to allow persons that POSSIBLY have lower baseline immunity into this country."
      So those people becomes inferior to you? I guess racism and slavery has taught you nothing.

      Once again some racist thinks the center of the universe is themselves.

    5. Jim Guest

      The Sinopharm vaccine has about the same effectiveness as the AstraZeneca and Johnson&Johnson vaccines (70s%).

      In addition, comparing these numbers is complicated. All of the trials were conducted in different regions at different stages of outbreaks (e.g. variant) on different populations so the numbers are not directly comparable.

    6. NYGuy24 Diamond

      Probably because some countries don't have access to the other vaccines. Still if it isn't an effective vaccine with variants they really shouldn't accept it.

    7. BBK Diamond

      Totally agree, in Venezuela many relatives and friends got the Sinopharm (they are only getting Sinopharm and Sputnik there) and got terrible sick. A friend actually died short after getting the Sinopharm.

    8. BBK Diamond

      And don't waste time with closet commies, they love to bash everything USA, they'd take the Sinopharm 100 times over Pfizer, they even prefer to invest in BABA than AMZN.. But there's not a minimal chance they leave the USA to live in any of their beloved communist lands.

  67. Alonzo Guest

    Yeah! There's no way covid can enter the US now! Covid has been blocked like an IG troll.

  68. Jason Guest

    A lot of people have mixed vaccinations, including Canada's prime minister. This could deny millions of additional people entry to the US.

  69. yepnope Guest

    remove testing requirements for the vaccinated. ban all unvaccinated. keep it simple thanks.

  70. Soggy Dollar Guest

    I was hoping for the elimination of the testing requirement for the fully vaccinated. The testing requirement effectively makes it almost impossible to freely travel for day trips or short overnight trips from a US territory to a foreign country or territory. Think of those near borders of Canada or Mexico, or in the USVI, where travel back and forth to a foreign country or territory is very common and not only vital to economic...

    I was hoping for the elimination of the testing requirement for the fully vaccinated. The testing requirement effectively makes it almost impossible to freely travel for day trips or short overnight trips from a US territory to a foreign country or territory. Think of those near borders of Canada or Mexico, or in the USVI, where travel back and forth to a foreign country or territory is very common and not only vital to economic well-being of those that live in those areas, but also generates significant tourism. The testing requirement continues to hinder the return of much of this type of travel.

    1. Luke Guest

      You can take the test within the US before leaving if are returning within 72 hours. I did exactly this yesterday flew to Paris to just spend 6 hours there to buy Louis Vuitton!

    2. Alan Diamond

      There is a reason why you still need the test. The vaccines do not prevent infection.

  71. BSB Guest

    If you’re disappointed in Biden, try living in Australia. It’s illegal for our own citizens to leave the country. There’s always someone who’s got it worse.

    1. Pat Guest

      Hardly a dissappointment for Australians and would not say worse than America for sure.
      Maybe dissappoiting for those who are outside trying to get in. As inconvenient as it may be to leave, we benefited with very low death rates (onky a little over 1000 since start of covid).

    2. Jake212 Guest

      @Pat

      Australian citizens are being beaten in the streets of Melbourne by the cops because they’re so fed up with how Australia has handled Covid. But okay - keep pushing your absolute nonsense that “you’ve benefited.” Give me a break.

      How many multi-week total lockdowns has Australia been through now?

    3. platy Guest

      @ Jake212

      Where I live we have had just 4 days of "lockdown" in the last 500 days.

      The Melbourne protests were illegal. Protesters were harassing others going about their lawful business. The cops did their job.

      My home state of Queensland has experienced just 7 deaths from COVID compared with 750,00 odd in the USA.

      Meanwhile vaccination rates in Australia are accelerating past those of the USA (after a late start).

      Buy okay...

      @ Jake212

      Where I live we have had just 4 days of "lockdown" in the last 500 days.

      The Melbourne protests were illegal. Protesters were harassing others going about their lawful business. The cops did their job.

      My home state of Queensland has experienced just 7 deaths from COVID compared with 750,00 odd in the USA.

      Meanwhile vaccination rates in Australia are accelerating past those of the USA (after a late start).

      Buy okay - just keep pushing your nonsense and utterly ignorant narrative.

      Maybe the real issue is that Americans can't accept the awfully tragic truth of their world leading failure at managing COVID. The extraordinary successes of Australia and NZ through such failure into stark relief.

    4. platy Guest

      In fact, so illegal that 100,000s of Australians have crossed the Australian international border during COVID...but, go ahead, pump up the dramatic narrative whilst you still can before the 1 November changes kick in

  72. efembe Guest

    I had to defer my trip to the States last November, and in March this year hopefully replanned it for 30th October.....am I going to miss it by 1 day where the air fares have now rocketed?

  73. Darren C Diamond

    So, I will still be required to buy an unverifiable (fake) negative Covid test in a foreign country to return to the US, even though I have received both Pfizer jabs? This is insane!

    The US should allow US citizens with proof of full vaccination to skip the fake tests. Tests do not reduce the acquisition, transmission, or severity of Covid but vaccines do.

    Foreign countries sell guaranteed Negative Covid tests to anyone who...

    So, I will still be required to buy an unverifiable (fake) negative Covid test in a foreign country to return to the US, even though I have received both Pfizer jabs? This is insane!

    The US should allow US citizens with proof of full vaccination to skip the fake tests. Tests do not reduce the acquisition, transmission, or severity of Covid but vaccines do.

    Foreign countries sell guaranteed Negative Covid tests to anyone who wants to buy them. The US has no interest in or way to verify the accuracy of these useless tests.

    1. E. Guest

      The industrial testing complex is going nowhere. Way too much money in it, our politicians' buddies making bank!

  74. Alan Diamond

    Nonsensical travel bans to be replaced by requiring non sterilizing vaccines. What the $#&$ is going on? The vaccines do not prevent infection so what difference does it make if one is vaccinated. And natural immunity which studies have shown is much better is not an even an option. The government needs some real scientists to make policies

    1. Never In Doubt Guest

      Alan, this is to f*ck with the unvaccinated morons.

      Which I endorse!

    2. A real scientist Guest

      The vaccines do prevent infections. They don't prevent ALL infections. Vaccines significantly reduce transmission. They don't eliminate it. And the travel bans aren't being replaced by a vaccine requirement....they are being replaced by a testing requirement supported by vaccine requirements.

      Natural immunity should be considered - but the "best" protection is natural immunity + vaccination. So yeah, vaccine certainly do make a difference.

    3. Jeffrey I Chang Guest

      "Natural immunity should be considered - but the "best" protection is natural immunity + vaccination. So yeah, vaccine certainly do make a difference."

      If natural immunity + vax is considered the gold standard, would it be a good idea to mandate continuous injections until a person reaches the antibody level of a natural immunity + double vaxxed person?

    4. Honkbert Gold

      Why then don't states/countries with the highest vaccination rates have the lowest rates of transmission?

      Why then do states/countries with the highest vaccination rates actually often have the highest incidences?

      These facts seem completely incompatible with your claim that vaccinations "significantly reduce transmission". Conversely, the observation of high rates of transmission in highly vaccinated populations is supported by a recent preprint from Cornell out of Qatar which finds that "effectiveness was diminished ≥20...

      Why then don't states/countries with the highest vaccination rates have the lowest rates of transmission?

      Why then do states/countries with the highest vaccination rates actually often have the highest incidences?

      These facts seem completely incompatible with your claim that vaccinations "significantly reduce transmission". Conversely, the observation of high rates of transmission in highly vaccinated populations is supported by a recent preprint from Cornell out of Qatar which finds that "effectiveness was diminished ≥20 weeks after the second dose."

      Real world epidemiological evidence disproves your claim of vaccines providing effective protection against infection. Also, in the preprint, despite finding 72% effectiveness 0-2 weeks after the second Pfizer dose, effectiveness against infection dropped to 0 after 20 weeks.

      So, according to the preprint, even if you consider 50% protection "effective" (a pretty low bar, if you ask me), you would need a booster shot after 14 weeks at the latest, when effectiveness drops below 50% (provided that a booster raises effectiveness again) to claim effective protection against infection. Even if the FDA and other agencies approve a booster for all age groups, this would raise the question for how long the booster remains effective against infection - and for how long, respectively.

      Other vaccines may provide longer-lasting protection against infection than Pfizer but the high rates of transmission in the UK, for instance, speak against that.

      Public health policies should be based in science, not wishful thinking and/or political interests. Unfortunately, from all I can tell, the latter seems to be the case.

      Preprint:

      https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.25.21262584v1

    5. Towelie196 Member

      So you argue that vaccines aren't effective against preventing transmission and then provide statistics indicating they are very effective for some time. In other words, if everyone just got the vaccine in the beginning we wouldn't be in this nightmare anymore. Instead, the problem now is that since so much time has passed the original group of vaccinated are no longer protected due to the numerous unvaccinated idiots that continuously allow the virus to mutate....

      So you argue that vaccines aren't effective against preventing transmission and then provide statistics indicating they are very effective for some time. In other words, if everyone just got the vaccine in the beginning we wouldn't be in this nightmare anymore. Instead, the problem now is that since so much time has passed the original group of vaccinated are no longer protected due to the numerous unvaccinated idiots that continuously allow the virus to mutate.

      Vaccines clearly work, your source clearly indicates that they do.

    6. Honkbert Gold

      I didn't say that vaccines don't work. What I said is that vaccines aren't effective at preventing transmission.

      Can you please point me to the countries where your strategy for eradicating SARS-COV-2 with vaccines has successfully been implemented? Actually, one country would do.

      You can't? Maybe that is because for your strategy to work, a number of prerequisites would have to be fulfilled which is simply not the case.

      First of all, presently two doses...

      I didn't say that vaccines don't work. What I said is that vaccines aren't effective at preventing transmission.

      Can you please point me to the countries where your strategy for eradicating SARS-COV-2 with vaccines has successfully been implemented? Actually, one country would do.

      You can't? Maybe that is because for your strategy to work, a number of prerequisites would have to be fulfilled which is simply not the case.

      First of all, presently two doses have to be given of most vaccines. For your approach, vaccines would have to provide (close to) 100% protection from infection after the first dose. This is not the case. In fact, peak protection from infection after the first dose was 37%.

      For your strategy to work, it would have had to have been implemented globally and at the same time in December 2020. Have you considered the logistics of administering the first dose to every single person on the planet at the same time and then have everyone quarantined for three weeks until every single person on the planet receives their second dose?

      OK, let's say you would have been successful back then. This would be a remarkable achievement. In my opinion: clearly impossible, as even early mover Israel was far from having everyone vaccinated before January 2021. In fact, only 12% had received their first dose at that point. How would you have ensured the production and shipment of the entirety of vaccines to everyone on the planet?

      Let's say you had been successful and simultaneously quarantined everyone on the planet until they got to (close to) 100% protection from the second. The thing is: even during the four weeks after the second dose, peak protection is only 72%. This is not enough to stop transmission.

      So even if everyone on the planet "had done the right thing", and even if everyone had done so at the exact same time, and even if everyone had spent three weeks in quarantine simultaneously until their second dose: your strategy would not have worked.

      Sorry, but there is more. Even if the second dose provided 100% protection from infection: have you considered animal reservoirs? Surely, you must be aware that animals can get infected and pass on the virus to humans. So your simultaneous global vaccination strategy to eradicate SARS-COV-2 would have had to include all animals with potential of zoonotic transmission. This would include a lot of animals on earth. Seriously, we're talking a lot of animals.

      Sorry if I burst your bubble. Your ambition is great. You may call me a pessimist but I must admit to having some doubts as to how realistic your plan is.

      I also don't find 72% protection from infection for four weeks, followed by a rapid decay to 0 after 19 weeks "very effective". By that measure, how would you label the measles vaccine? Super-duper effective? Two doses and essentially a lifetime protection close to 100% sounds much more deserving of the label "very effective" to me. Calling both "very effective" at preventing infection seems like an extreme dilution of the meaning of these words.

    7. Honkbert Gold

      Viruses mutate. If you wanted to prevent them from doing so, you would have to prevent infection. Since the vaccines aren't very effective at that, vaccination exerts selection pressure, i.e. a mutation that successfully escapes the vaccine will be more successful at transmission. In the unvaccinated, mutations occur in a more random fashion, thus not favouring vaccine-escaping variants.

      I agree that vaccination is beneficial for avoiding escape variants for vaccines that are very effective at...

      Viruses mutate. If you wanted to prevent them from doing so, you would have to prevent infection. Since the vaccines aren't very effective at that, vaccination exerts selection pressure, i.e. a mutation that successfully escapes the vaccine will be more successful at transmission. In the unvaccinated, mutations occur in a more random fashion, thus not favouring vaccine-escaping variants.

      I agree that vaccination is beneficial for avoiding escape variants for vaccines that are very effective at preventing transmission because, eventually, even an entirely random mutation in an unvaccinated person, however unlikely, may turn out to be capable of evading a vaccine. That's simply a question of scale.

      If there is an evolutionary benefit to particular mutations, as is the case with vaccine escape variants, this should be taken into account because, given continued high rates of transmission, over time it makes adaptation of the virus to the vaccine environment likelier.

    8. Greg Guest

      You can't transmit what you don't catch. Vaccines are highly effective at preventing infection, so transmission by the population of vaccinated persons is far lower than by the population of unvaccinated persons. Nothing is perfect, so that's why even vaccinated people should be wearing masks.

    9. Honkbert Gold

      No, they are not. If they were, the most highly vaccinated place s would see the least infections. Clearly, this is not the case.

      At this point, the claim that “vaccines are highly effective against infection”, despite being repeated ad nauseam, is nothing but that: a claim, unsupported by evidence and with evidence to the contrary.

    10. NYGuy24 Diamond

      Really amazing how quickly anti-vaxxers are to outright lie. Vaccines are not 100% effective (because no vaccine ever is) but they do indeed prevent a large percentage of infections. For breakthrough infections they also limit the risk of hospitalization and death way above that experienced by unvaccinated people and if a vaccinated person is infected they on average recover in half the time it takes an unvaccinated person and they are also significantly less likely...

      Really amazing how quickly anti-vaxxers are to outright lie. Vaccines are not 100% effective (because no vaccine ever is) but they do indeed prevent a large percentage of infections. For breakthrough infections they also limit the risk of hospitalization and death way above that experienced by unvaccinated people and if a vaccinated person is infected they on average recover in half the time it takes an unvaccinated person and they are also significantly less likely to infect other people than an infected unvaccinated person.

    11. Calypsia Guest

      NYguy, Can you please cite a study/data that shows vaccinated people are “significantly” less likely to infect other people? Maybe I missed that one.

    12. Calypsia Guest

      Why isn’t anyone responding to your factual claims? I guess they can’t respond reasonably, so they just keep saying the same things over and over—vaccinated people are “smarter” and “safer.” “We don’t need to get tested.” What happened to “follow the science?” Studies now show that unvaccinated carry and transmit the virus. No one knows to what degree because how many asymptomatic vaccinated are being tested?

      What I wish is for the development of...

      Why isn’t anyone responding to your factual claims? I guess they can’t respond reasonably, so they just keep saying the same things over and over—vaccinated people are “smarter” and “safer.” “We don’t need to get tested.” What happened to “follow the science?” Studies now show that unvaccinated carry and transmit the virus. No one knows to what degree because how many asymptomatic vaccinated are being tested?

      What I wish is for the development of an even less expensive, more accessible test. Test everyone before international trips. That makes sense.

  75. Brian Guest

    It is so sad that Lucky continues to ignore the mounting evidence showing unnecessary death and permanent injury related to the Covid jab. My father died after his second Pfizer jab, which his Dr. recommended despite him recovering from Covid. A world of travel that ignores natural immunity and embraces dangerous protocols is not one I will partake of, nor will millions of others I suspect.

    1. Alan Diamond

      There are still plenty of doctors in the US who appear to have forgotten their basic medical studies.

    2. Never In Doubt Guest

      More room for me on the plane! Thanks!

    3. Bob Guest

      Sorry for your loss, "Brian" but there's no such evidence. The vaccines are overwhelmingly shown to be safe and with minimal side effects.

      Anti-vaxxers out in force here. That's sad.

    4. BF Guest

      Brian, you are saying you are more scared of a vaccine that has not proven to kill anyone than you are of a virus that his killed millions. Do you realize how crazy that sounds?

      You sound like a guy jumping out of an airplane who says "I heard from a friend that some people died when doing this because their parachute failed, so I'm not taking that risk, I'm jumping without a parachute"

      ...

      Brian, you are saying you are more scared of a vaccine that has not proven to kill anyone than you are of a virus that his killed millions. Do you realize how crazy that sounds?

      You sound like a guy jumping out of an airplane who says "I heard from a friend that some people died when doing this because their parachute failed, so I'm not taking that risk, I'm jumping without a parachute"

      -----------

      "According to the CDC, there is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines have caused any deaths in the U.S."
      https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/sep/20/facebook-posts/no-evidence-covid-19-vaccines-causing-deaths/

    5. Jake212 Guest

      @BF

      You are an absolute moron for spewing that misinformation. Let me help you:

      “ The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed an increased number of deaths reported after a COVID-19 vaccination. Between December 14, 2020, through July 19, 2021, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) received 12,313 reports of death among people who received a COVID-19 vaccine.”

      Source - https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.precisionvaccinations.com/covid-19-vaccine-related-fatalities-updated%3famp

      @BF

      You are an absolute moron for spewing that misinformation. Let me help you:

      “ The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed an increased number of deaths reported after a COVID-19 vaccination. Between December 14, 2020, through July 19, 2021, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) received 12,313 reports of death among people who received a COVID-19 vaccine.”

      Source - https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.precisionvaccinations.com/covid-19-vaccine-related-fatalities-updated%3famp

    6. Andy 11235 Guest

      I am sorry for your loss. All vaccinations come with the risk of injury, and yes, even death. Ultimately, COVID infection -- or even reinfection -- is far more likely to result in death. This will certainly come as little comfort to you and your family, but is ultimately the calculation we must make in the face of a pandemic. "Dangerous" is a relative term, and it is important to quantify these relative risks. Natural...

      I am sorry for your loss. All vaccinations come with the risk of injury, and yes, even death. Ultimately, COVID infection -- or even reinfection -- is far more likely to result in death. This will certainly come as little comfort to you and your family, but is ultimately the calculation we must make in the face of a pandemic. "Dangerous" is a relative term, and it is important to quantify these relative risks. Natural immunity plus vaccination is far superior protection than natural immunity alone. If you have any doubt about benefits of vaccination, I suggest you call your local hospital and ask how many of their COVID patients were vaccinated.

  76. Victoria M Guest

    We returned from Italy, are fully vaccinated and took a Covid test within 72 hours of our departure from Milan…NO ONE asked to see actual documentation in Milan, or at JFK…..
    I was kind of shocked…..

  77. Austin Guest

    Upon returning from Ireland about a month ago my 2 year old was required to have a negative test to enter the US so I would expect foreign nationals to have to test at 2 and above as well. It seems the US has taken a hard stance when it comes to COVID at 2 years old.

  78. gmb Guest

    Stop talking about the "science" behind vaccines until you understand natural immunity.

    1. Chris Guest

      "But ah gott een AMMMUUNE SISSTEMM"

      - Local neckbeard

  79. Mohsan Guest

    I am curious if US will accept Chinese vaccines, sinopharm etc .
    In my opinion any WHO approved vaccine should be acceptable...

  80. Jake Guest

    Any news on whether or not this is for all unvaccinated travelers or just adults? Curious to know how the new rule will impact our kids who are currently ineligible to receive the vaccine.

  81. Jordan Diamond

    This creates a big incentive for international travelers from the United States to get vaccinated.

    Sorry, but it does not.

    1. Never In Doubt Guest

      Wasn’t intended to.

      Current unvaccinated adults are morons beyond reasoning with.

    2. UA-NYC Guest

      With any luck, they will leave and realize it's too difficult to get back in, so they go elsewhere...anywhere that will have em.

    3. gmb Guest

      morons are the sheep slurping up the constantly changing dictates from their establishment masters

    4. Never In Doubt Guest

      gmb, unvaccinated moron identified.

    5. Jake212 Guest

      Never In Doubt, troll that can’t think on their own and do and believe anything their embarrassing party of liberal liars tells them identified.

  82. Todd Guest

    Canadians have only needed a negative test to enter the US. However, if these new rules are applied across the board and one must show proof of vaccination, I wonder if those of us with mixed vaccinations will be allowed in? There is a very large percentage of 50-60 y/o Canadians with a AZ/mRNA combo.

  83. Mak Guest

    Although these travel bans had horribly harsh consequences of preventing people from seeing their families, getting educated, earning a living, going to a loved one's wedding or funeral, etc., at least they prevented Covid from entering the USA!

    1. NYGuy24 Diamond

      The irony is most of the recent deaths have been a direct result of variants and all the severe variants in the US originated outside the country.

  84. DiscoPapa Guest

    I’m curious as to the science-based approach for moving up the testing requirements for unvaxxed Americans from 3 days to 1 day before departure. Is a test 3 days before an activity no longer relevant, or is it just air travel? Have they seen significant amount of cases from people who tested negative at 3 days, but then had covid? Does science say a test at 1 day before departure and then 24 hours later is going to be more effective?

    1. Never In Doubt Guest

      I chalk it up entirely to “let’s make the unvaccinated morons lives more difficult”.

      Which I find amusing!

  85. Greg Guest

    For vaccinated US citizens, this seems to just add extra restriction (since it doesn't seem like 3 day requirement is going away, and now we have to carry around that flimsy CDC card to foreign travels and hope it's not lost or damaged to show for return flight).

    How is this any better or incentive for a US citizen to get vaccinated. Might as well just do the 1 day in advance antigen 10 minute...

    For vaccinated US citizens, this seems to just add extra restriction (since it doesn't seem like 3 day requirement is going away, and now we have to carry around that flimsy CDC card to foreign travels and hope it's not lost or damaged to show for return flight).

    How is this any better or incentive for a US citizen to get vaccinated. Might as well just do the 1 day in advance antigen 10 minute test and not carry around the CDC card. The post-arrival test will obviously not be enforced we all know that.

    1. Never In Doubt Guest

      Are you complaining about having to carry your vaccine card?

      Or are you a fool in some other way I’m unable to guess right now?

    2. Greg Guest

      I'm complaining about having to carry a card which can easily get lost or damaged abroad, and while you're abroad it is totally irreplaceable (unlike a lost passport which a US embassy can replace).

      So yes. This new rule adds an onerous requirement on the vaccinated US citizens about always being careful about the card, making sure it's not damaged if it's raining or lost in baggage etc.

    3. Bob Guest

      I - and countless other travelers - have carried a flimsy yellow WHO-recognized International Certificate of Vaccination for yellow fever and other travel-required vaccination for decades. I'd love a widely recognized international electronic vaccine record as much as anyone. But the "I have to carry a paper card" isn't as big of a deal as you want it to be.

    4. Greg Guest

      The flimsy yellow vax card is replaceable, even if you lose it during travels it is a universally recognizable card that you can get.

      If you lose your CDC card, it can't be replaced abroad no matter what. So now you're stuck. Pictures on phones and copies don't work in satisfying documentation check requirements

    5. Never In Doubt Guest

      Greg,

      A little piece of paper you might lose.

      Your perseverance in the face of such an onerous requirement is an inspiration to us all.

    6. Bob Guest

      Huh? Sure the card itself might be replaceable...but the record of vaccines on it aren't. There's no electronic backup of that information that is globally recognized...so if you lose it will abroad you might be able to get a new yellow piece of paper, but it's not going to come with your immunization record...so yeah it's not just simply replaceable.

      Rather easy currently in many European countries to simply walk into a pharmacy with your...

      Huh? Sure the card itself might be replaceable...but the record of vaccines on it aren't. There's no electronic backup of that information that is globally recognized...so if you lose it will abroad you might be able to get a new yellow piece of paper, but it's not going to come with your immunization record...so yeah it's not just simply replaceable.

      Rather easy currently in many European countries to simply walk into a pharmacy with your CDC card and have them enter you in the electronic vaccine passport system / app being used, and thereby have an electronic record for travels.

      This "paper card" issue really isn't as big as you want it to be.

    7. Gil Guest

      I make copies have taken pictures of it with my phone and I have my original CDC card laminated. I also keep my original at home when not traveling to minimize loss.

    8. BF Guest

      Greg are you really saying it is less hassle to get covid tested every time you fly than it is to carry a small piece of paper with you? I get that the paper card is small and flimsy but still...wtf lol

    9. Jake212 Guest

      @Never In Doubt

      Do you post anything of value or is your only purpose in life to hide behind a keyboard and attack anyone who questions what the MSM or delusional Biden tells you?

      Or are you a fool in some other way I’m unable to guess right now?

    10. UA-NYC Guest

      Go back to Parler, you'll be happier there

  86. derek Guest

    This is why universal health care is potentially dangerous. It could be managed politically and not logically.

  87. Andy Guest

    Excellent news! Finally!

  88. JC Guest

    Shouldn't they require testing for all travelers regardless of vaccination status. Reduced risk does not mean no risk, especially with vaccine resistant strains popping up.

    1. Never In Doubt Guest

      There is already a testing requirement for anyone entering the US by air.

      Have you not been paying attention?

    2. Chris Guest

      I'm military and do not need to test as one of the exempted travelers. Been traveling from Germany and USA entire time with 0 tests. You're an idiot if you think the rules make sense and are based on "science"

  89. Santastico Guest

    The only science Grandpa J follows is politics.

  90. miamiorbust Guest

    Does this apply to Chinese passport holders? Policy for unvaccinated Americans is comical. For Americans that don't take the tests, will they be deported? Looks like NY's laughable quarantine requirements, which are actually still on the books for international arrivals at JFK. NY Sheriff comes up on caller ID, send to voice. They call three times and then just stop. Verifying a follow up test result, good luck. It's in the mail. You'll get it...

    Does this apply to Chinese passport holders? Policy for unvaccinated Americans is comical. For Americans that don't take the tests, will they be deported? Looks like NY's laughable quarantine requirements, which are actually still on the books for international arrivals at JFK. NY Sheriff comes up on caller ID, send to voice. They call three times and then just stop. Verifying a follow up test result, good luck. It's in the mail. You'll get it by July 4th. And for our friends from Europe, you thought the lines at US immigration were long before? Welcome to America! I actually find the new policy downright racist. Access to vaccination is nowhere near universal and correlates with skin color for majority of a countries population. If vaccination is the only standard, Team Biden just banned 95% of Africans while providing access to 70-85% of Europeans and effectively 100% of Europeans that want to travel. Has been why most countries have not instituted vaccine-only access requirements. There is simply no way to implement in way that does not reek of class privilege.

  91. Niket Aggarwal Guest

    I am guessing they will make the policy to be all vaccines recognized by the WHO. Will still leave some travelers out specially Sputnik (Russia) and COVAX (India) unless WHO approves them by November.

    1. Icarus Guest

      This is the U.K. and EU we are talking about. Those vaccines are not used here

    2. Bob Guest

      Nope - policy covers United Kingdom, European Union, China, India, Iran, Republic of Ireland, Brazil or South Africa.

      Not just EU/UK - for this to mean anything they'll have to recognize AZ and the Chinese vaccines.

    3. Vinod Guest

      And I believe, India's Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin (COVAX is the WHO's program for vaccination distribution) has now been approved by the WHO.

  92. Nate nate Guest

    This will really put a crimp in vaccine tourism.

  93. Never In Doubt Guest

    To all the chuckleheads commenting “This is just politics!”

    Duh!

    EVERYTHING. EVERY. POLITICIAN. DOES. IS. JUST. POLITICS.

  94. Never In Doubt Guest

    Been in Europe since late August, bought our Dec return tickets yesterday. Just in time to beat the competition from the locals!

  95. Enzo Guest

    I'm medically exempted from the vaccine, per my doctor. Is there any information surrounding medical exemptions for travel?

    1. Zweral Guest

      from your chiropractor you mean?

  96. Hank Tarn Guest

    I am very unhappy about this. The one thing that I liked about Biden was that he was keeping our borders closed to unnecessary travel during the pandemic.

    America does not need any European travel while the virus is still killing Americans.

    1. Luis Guest

      Keeping our borders closed? You means besides the southern borders for illegal immigrants?

    2. Never In Doubt Guest

      Trolling?

      Or an idiot? (since almost every other country is open for travel to the US)

      Hard to tell.

    3. Luke Guest

      Go move to Australia or even better New Zealand

    4. Mike Guest

      I hope you're just trolling because these travel bans that we've had in place have been ridiculous. I don't see how allowing vaccinated foreigners into the country increases the risk to Americans at all. Honestly, all restrictions including masks should be removed for vaccinated people. If these international flights are all vaccinated passengers who also test negative prior to departure, then what is the need for masks? I would actually be in favor of requiring...

      I hope you're just trolling because these travel bans that we've had in place have been ridiculous. I don't see how allowing vaccinated foreigners into the country increases the risk to Americans at all. Honestly, all restrictions including masks should be removed for vaccinated people. If these international flights are all vaccinated passengers who also test negative prior to departure, then what is the need for masks? I would actually be in favor of requiring vaccinations for air travel if it meant removing the silly mask mandates. If you actually look at the ventilation and filtration of the air in commercial aircraft, that is what is preventing Covid spread on airplanes. It is not masking. Most people on longer flights have their masks off for long durations anyway when eating meals and enjoying drinks so masks are not why planes have been safe.

    5. Andrew Guest

      Hank, the policies and reality were idiotic. Asia, much of South America and many other parts of the world were permitted with negative testing, regardless of vaccination status. And antigen was considered acceptable, which was superduper weak. (Heck, I took two Abbott BinaxNOW tests which the CDC approves for travel last week and they just asked me to read the result to them rather than looking.)

      Asking vaccination status is the only way we're going...

      Hank, the policies and reality were idiotic. Asia, much of South America and many other parts of the world were permitted with negative testing, regardless of vaccination status. And antigen was considered acceptable, which was superduper weak. (Heck, I took two Abbott BinaxNOW tests which the CDC approves for travel last week and they just asked me to read the result to them rather than looking.)

      Asking vaccination status is the only way we're going to get through this pandemic - the end game is not to eliminate the virus... that ship sailed in early 2020. The end game is to get everyone vaccinated so that mortality is more like the common flu.

      This creates incentives for people to get vaccinated, which is exactly the right step.

  97. stogieguy7 Guest

    Biden doesn't follow the science; the follows the orders of his caretakers. And why they think it's cool for unvaccinated throngs from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador are fine but vaccinated people from Germany, France and Belgium are not is something that only Karl Marx can answer.

    1. Joe1293 Guest

      I thought people voted because they followed the science
      I am confused

  98. panda Guest

    The US can’t just throw together a vaccine verification system like other countries. Health privacy, data security laws, and competing business interests force it to take a lot longer to implement.

    1. Towelie196 Member

      We would mainly be verifying European vaccination status, who in many regards have more stringent data security laws than in the US.

    2. miamiorbust Guest

      And for testing requirement for unvaccinated Americans, how does vaccination status get validated? There is no real system. Just a worthless piece of paper.

    3. Jan Guest

      That worthless piece of paper works just fine in Europe.

    4. panda Guest

      As for the testing requirement, it is apples and oranges compared to vaccination status in complexity of verification and health privacy law.

    5. panda Guest

      Europe doesn’t have HIPAA and it has to be a universal system, not just for Europeans. Also there is no unified policy in Europe- it’s a bunch of different countries with various travel policies.

  99. Kuloko Guest

    How about lifting another ridiculous requirement for Covid-19 tests for vaccinated Americans to fly back to US?

    1. Tiger Guest

      Yup, as long as the deranged policy of testing is in place nothing will change. So-called "lifting the ban" is disgusting virtue signaling.

    2. Never In Doubt Guest

      Sure, it’s an inconvenience and a small expense, but is it really that big a deal?

      If THAT’S what’s stopping you from traveling…

    3. Greg Guest

      Yes it is actually a huge deal, specially for families (one in your group tests positive can derail everything and cause multiweek expensive quarantine) and last minute emergency travel (can't always schedule a test) and business travel (companies can't always require employees to submit to tests just for travel to clients)

    4. Never In Doubt Guest

      @Greg,
      “ one in your group tests positive can derail everything and cause multiweek expensive quarantine”

      “The COVID positive SHOULD be able to travel on planes dammit!” is an innovative argument. Kudos!

    5. Mike Guest

      If they are keeping the ridiculous testing requirement for vaccinated people, then the mask mandate for air travel needs to be revoked immediately. There is zero science or data that indicates that a vaccinated person who also does not have the virus needs to mask. The problem is, very few of the restrictions and mandates that we've seen throughout this whole thing actually follow the data.

    6. Andrew Guest

      Zero science, except for the breakthrough cases with the delta variant. But zero science as of April 2021. Yup.

    7. Mike Guest

      They make you test even if you are vaccinated to make sure you don't have a breakthrough case so yeah, there is zero reason for a vaccinated person who is verified to not have the virus to wear a mask. Common sense.

    8. Greg Guest

      Why is a breakthrough case a big deal, or frankly why is flying when covid positive a big deal if other passengers and crew are all vaccinated.

      Covid is endemic now, we need to stop treating any healthy person who is otherwise covid positive as a plague rat.

      If you're vaccinated there is no need to be afraid to be near or fly with a covid positive passenger. If you're afraid of covid go get vaccinated.

    9. Calypsia Guest

      NYguy, Can you please cite a study/data that shows vaccinated people are “significantly” less likely to infect other people? Maybe I missed that one.

    10. BC Guest

      This is what I am most hopeful for. The requirement is so stupid. It was designed to keep Americans from going abroad back before we had a vaccine. Now we have it. Why still require the non-sensical test for those with a verifiable vaccination status?

    11. BF Guest

      Covid Denier 1: "You can still get covid even when vaccinated so it is pointless"
      Covid Denier 2: "Why should I have to be covid tested when I am vaccinated"

      Maybe it is not the same people making these two arguments but I seriously wonder..

  100. Joey Guest

    I'm curious whether the US gov't will accept EU travelers who took the Astra-Zeneca vaccine.

    1. Creditcrunch Guest

      Sky News siting a White House source reported that the AZ vaccine will be accepted.

  101. Giovanna Guest

    Good! Was starting to worry about my travel credit with United that expires end of march.

    1. Towelie196 Member

      UA extended the majority of travel credits through 12/31/2022.

    2. Giovanna Guest

      Strange! I still have 31st march as "book and commence travel" limit.

  102. Jan Guest

    Biden Administration has never followed the science. They follow the politics first.

  103. khatl Guest

    Maybe I'm a skeptic but I saw it as being politics.

    There was a red hot US economy thru August, so no need for tourism which would have just made it even hotter.

    Since last week, signs are that the US economy is slightly cooling, so allowing tourists again will stimulate GDP given the 2 years of pent up demand for vacationing in the US and that demand will continue thru next Summer to the mid-term elections.

  104. John Guest

    This ban made no sense. I traveled twice to Europe and could have had Covid but since I’m an American I’m allowed in and I’m not vaccinated but vaccinated Europeans can’t come in. Uncle Joe never had and never has made sense!

  105. Grabamile Guest

    The press conference is at 10 AM next Monday (Sep 27)

  106. Nick Guest

    In fact there was never a ban against Europeans, it was a ban on arriving from European Union/Schengen countries (EU and Schengen are not all of Europe - those living on the continent outside these two geopolitical unions are Europeans too) and, these were applied to all coming from EU/Schengen (no matter of nationality and actual country of residence). As a European you could go to another non-Schengen or non-EU European country, spend two weeks...

    In fact there was never a ban against Europeans, it was a ban on arriving from European Union/Schengen countries (EU and Schengen are not all of Europe - those living on the continent outside these two geopolitical unions are Europeans too) and, these were applied to all coming from EU/Schengen (no matter of nationality and actual country of residence). As a European you could go to another non-Schengen or non-EU European country, spend two weeks there and freely travel to the US.

    1. Jan Guest

      Tomato, to-mah-to. A 2-week quarantine is akin to a de-facto ban for the vast majority of tourists

    2. Giovanna Guest

      Yeah sure! Because everybody has at least 4 weeks holiday.

    3. jetset Guest

      Right but, in practice, that is a ban. It specifically impacts non-US citizens and permanent residents because, as a US citizen I could travel to Paris, and then immediately come back to the US with no quarantine or entry restriction. The same would not be true of a friend who lives in the US on a US work visa but who is a French citizen. If they left the US they would potentially not be...

      Right but, in practice, that is a ban. It specifically impacts non-US citizens and permanent residents because, as a US citizen I could travel to Paris, and then immediately come back to the US with no quarantine or entry restriction. The same would not be true of a friend who lives in the US on a US work visa but who is a French citizen. If they left the US they would potentially not be able to re-enter without spending 2 weeks in a third country not on the entry restriction list.

      If you're merely pointing out the detailed semantics of the word choice then I suppose you are correct but dramatic overreach is clearly not the point of the post.

      UK and EU residents (and citizens living in the US who may want to travel home and back), for all practical purposes, banned from travel to the US during this period.

    4. Bagoly Guest

      Weirdly, it is Schengen + Ireland + UK which are on the ban list, but not the EU per se.
      So one can travel from the few EU countries which are not in Schengen (Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria)
      This has been the case from March 2020.

  107. Sharon Guest

    I agree, the travel ban should end.

    If people have the vaccine & negative covid test, they should be welcome to spend their $$ here!

  108. shoeguy Gold

    About time. Completely absurd that US passport holders have enjoyed generally fluid access to many European countries since May, while COVID rages in America which has one of the highest case loads of any developed nation. The hypocrisy is real.

    1. miamiorbust Guest

      EU could have enforced their own COVID circuit breaker criteria and cut off summer holiday $$$. EU leaders opted to take the cash over protecting safety of their population. How is that the fault of US policy? If you are based in Europe/EU, kick out your leaders that swapped your safety for tourist dollars.

    2. Nils Guest

      To be honest, they should be subjected to the same treatment people have to suffer through at US airports.

    3. Joe1293 Guest

      Ever heard of follow the dollar
      It’s just like follow the leader

Featured Comments Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ).

The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.

Stuart Guest

If up to me you would all be locked down in your homes with guards outside. So consider yourself lucky given how you have all prolonged this nightmare.

3
gmb Guest

morons are the sheep slurping up the constantly changing dictates from their establishment masters

3
Mak Guest

Although these travel bans had horribly harsh consequences of preventing people from seeing their families, getting educated, earning a living, going to a loved one's wedding or funeral, etc., at least they prevented Covid from entering the USA!

3
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