Still No Date on When USA Will Open to UK Travellers DESPITE Assurances from Biden… What’s the Hold Up?

The US has still not confirmed an official date when it will reopen to travellers from the UK despite President Joe Biden saying it would happen "in November"... so what's the hold up?

The US has still not confirmed an official reopening date, despite President Joe Biden recently announcing that they would reopen borders to fully vaccinated visitors from the UK in November.

One answer to the ongoing questions surrounding the reopening of the US has been answered today as the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that the United States would allow international visitors who are fully vaccinated with ANY Covid-19 vaccination authorised by US regulators or the World Health Organisation entry INCLUDING Astra/Zeneca.

As of June 3, 2021, the WHO has evaluated that the following vaccines against COVID-19 have met the necessary criteria for safety and efficacy:

  • AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine
  • Johnson and Johnson
  • Moderna
  • Pfizer/BionTech
  • Sinopharm
  • Sinovac

One question unanswered is whether the United States will accept vaccines from visitors who received doses of two different COVID-19 vaccines.

The initial response to the news of US borders reopening was hugely positive with ABTA saying: “The news that double vaccinated travellers will be allowed to travel to the US from the UK from November is great news for holidaymakers, business travellers and those who have been separated from friends and family for so long.

“The USA is by far our most popular long haul destination and in a normal year attracts almost five million visitors from the UK. The announcement will come in time to allow people to, among other things, take the ever popular Christmas shopping trips to New York and is a very welcome boost for the winter sports market whose customers love the country’s high quality ski resorts.”

Similarly Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “The prospect of the US lifting travel restrictions to restore transatlantic travel between the UK and US is welcome news – not just for hard-pressed airlines but for the wider Travel & Tourism sector, which has been decimated by COVID-19.

“It will finally enable families to reunite, business travellers to resume face-to-face meetings and for Travel & Tourism to return for Brits looking to travel to America.

“The UK alone represents 8% of all inbound travel to the US, accounting for US$ 40 million per day to the nation’s economy.”

Both holidaymakers keen to experience a slice of America this year and the travel industry are waiting on the official go ahead from across the pond… so the question now is what’s the hold up?

news