'Fantastic boost for business and trade': UK PM Boris Johnson on US easing travel norms

Soon after the White House announced to ease the COVID-19 restrictions from November this year, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson swiftly took to Twitter and, termed the announcement a big boost for trade and the family members who were barred from visiting the United States since last year.

This statement from the UK Prime Minister came after the US announced to remove travel restrictions for the fully vaccinated people from November. "I am delighted that from November, @POTUS is reinstating transatlantic travel so fully vaccinated UK nationals can visit the USA. It’s a fantastic boost for business and trade, and great that family and friends on both sides of the pond can be reunited once again," said Johnson.

Britain suspended quarantines for fully vaccinated travellers from the United States and the European Union early in August and has been pushing for the US President Joe Biden to ease the rules. But Johnson said that he did not expect the change to come this week.

Here is the official Tweet of Johnson:

New COVID travel rules in US

The new rules mandate pre-departure testing for foreign nationals coming to the US within three days prior to departure, with proof of a negative test result. Unvaccinated Americans returning to the US will be subject to stricter testing requirements and need to test within one day of departure with another test required upon arrival.

Earlier, the United States had barred non-citizens who had been in the United Kingdom, European Union, China, India, Iran, Republic of Ireland, Brazil and South Africa in the prior 14 days from entering the US. The new rules will replace a set of restrictions that barred the families and others who have been separated by the travel restrictions for more than 18 months.

It is worth noting that America had imposed a travel ban during the earliest days of the coronavirus pandemic. At first, former US President Donald Trump limited travel from China and subsequently imposed it on European and Asian countries including India. Meanwhile, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has directed airlines to strictly follow the new guidelines at the airport. It also directed airlines to collect information from US-bound travellers, including telephone numbers and email addresses, asking the airline to keep in touch with the passenger for at least 30 days in order to keep track of the traveller.

(With inputs from ANI/AP)

(Image: AP)