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Airlines to check vaccination status as US borders reopen

Airlines to check vaccination status as US borders reopen

Officials in the United States have outlined new rules for foreign travellers, as flight restrictions lift for the first time since the pandemic began in early 2020.

Borders will reopen on November 8th, with the White House giving more information on who will be allowed to travel.

A statement confirmed a requirement that almost all foreign visitors be vaccinated against Covid-19.

The United States travel ban, introduced in March last year, has grown to encompass dozens of countries, including the UK, much of Europe, China and India.

The travel industry has been asking for US president Joe Biden to lift the ban for months.

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The proclamation signed by Biden on Monday says that airlines will be required to check travellers’ vaccination status before they can board departing planes.

“It is in the interests of the United States to move away from the country-by-country restrictions previously applied during the Covid-19 pandemic and to adopt an air travel policy that relies primarily on vaccination to advance the safe resumption of international air travel to the United States,” the text explained.

Airlines must confirm that the proof of vaccination comes from an “official source” and was received at least two weeks prior.

Any vaccines approved by US health regulators will be accepted.

Unvaccinated travellers, including Americans, will have to show a negative Covid-19 test taken within one day of departure.

Children under the age of 18 will be exempt from the vaccination requirement but must still provide a negative test taken within three days of travel.