Washington, Dec. 24 (BNA) The White House announced Friday that the United States will lift travel restrictions on eight countries in South Africa on New Year’s Eve.
The Associated Press (AP) reported that the restrictions, which were imposed last month, were aimed at curbing the spread of the COVID omicron variant.
The November 29 ban banned nearly all non-US citizens who had recently been in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi.
White House spokesman Kevin Munoz said on Twitter that the decision was recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Munoz said the temporary travel ban gave scientists time to study a new variant of the virus and concluded that current vaccines are effective in limiting its effect.
Omicron is now spreading rapidly throughout the United States, including among vaccinators, but the vast majority of those who are hospitalized are not immunized.
“The restrictions have given us time to understand Omicron and we know that our current vaccines work against Omicron, and have been particularly boosted,” Munoz wrote on Twitter.
AOQ