Passengers arrive on a flight from London amid new restrictions to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at New York’s JFK International Airport on December 21, 2020.
Eduardo Munoz | Reuters
President Joe Biden on Monday banned most non-Americans traveling from South Africa from entering the United States and extended travel restrictions to Europe, Britain and Brazil, in an effort to reduce the spread of Covid-19, especially as new strains of coronavirus are identified.
The measures, reported by CNBC on Sunday, come as more contagious variants of the virus have spread.
Former President Donald Trump last week lifted entry bans for most non-US citizens who had been to Britain, Brazil or many European countries, but then-president-elect Biden said the new administration would reverse fast this step.
Trump’s decision to lift the rules was due to take effect on Tuesday, when the US will start asking US travelers to present a recent and negative Covid test result before flying to the United States.
US airlines have called on the Trump administration to replace travel bans with Covid test requirements.