Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Worries Over New Strains Drive Biden To Reimpose Travel Bans
NPR: Biden To Implement Travel Restrictions To Combat New Coronavirus Variants
President Biden will reimpose a ban on many non-U.S. citizens attempting to enter the country. The move is an attempt to limit the spread of COVID-19 and contain new variants of the disease that have cropped up in several countries around the globe, according to media reports Sunday. The ban, expected to start Monday, would prohibit travelers from the United Kingdom, Ireland, and 26 countries in Europe that allow travel across open borders, called the Schengen Area, according to Reuters. It will also block entry to travelers from Brazil and South Africa, where researchers discovered new variants of the virus. (Diaz, 1/25)
Reuters: Exclusive: Biden To Impose South Africa Travel Ban To Combat New COVID-19 Variant - CDC
“We are adding South Africa to the restricted list because of the concerning variant present that has already spread beyond South Africa,” said Dr. Anne Schuchat, the CDC’s principal deputy director, in an interview Sunday. She added the agency was “putting in place this suite of measures to protect Americans and also to reduce the risk of these variants spreading and worsening the current pandemic.” (Shepardson, 1/24)
CNBC: Biden To Restrict Travel With South Africa, U.K., Brazil To Slow New Covid Strains
The CDC also announced on Sunday that it will remove the option for airlines with flights from countries that lack Covid-19 testing to apply for temporary waivers for some travelers. The agency will implement the order on Tuesday. (Newburger and Josephs, 1/24)
Politico: Biden To Ban Travel From South Africa, Reinstate Restrictions On Brazil And U.K.
The White House official also confirmed that the administration would not allow airlines to make exemptions to a separate order set to go into effect this week, which will require all international travelers to show proof of a negative Covid test before entering the U.S. Airlines had requested temporary waivers permitting them to carry some travelers coming from countries with limited testing capacity. However, CDC officials told Reuters that they would consider case-by-case humanitarian exemptions for some travelers. (Beasley, 1/24)
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CNN: Biden's Mask Mandate: Transportation Officials Weigh Options To Enforce Biden's New Requirement For Travelers
Federal transportation officials are considering a range of options to enforce President Joe Biden's new face mask requirement for interstate travelers, including the possibility of fines in the thousands of dollars, multiple sources told CNN. The normal rulemaking process can take months, at least, to complete, so officials are believed to be considering emergency actions that could take effect much sooner. (Wallace, 1/24)
