U.S. plans ban for most non-Americans traveling from South Africa
The United States will ban entry to most non-U.S. citizens who have recently been in South Africa in response to the new coronavirus variant there, according to a White House official familiar with the plan.
It's unclear how long the restrictions will continue.
The Biden administration will also continue restrictions on travel to the United States from Brazil, the United Kingdom, Ireland and other countries in Europe that the Trump administration planned to relax, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the plans have not been made public.
That's consistent with comments from White House press secretary Jen Psaki, who tweeted on Monday that "this is not the time to be lifting restrictions on international travel."
The U.S. is warily viewing new coronavirus variants that have originated in South Africa and Brazil, as well as one recently identified in the United Kingdom.
Reuters first reported the U.S. plan to ban travel from South Africa for most non-U.S. citizens, citing officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.