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Posted: 09/15/2021 / 6:37 PM CDT
Updated: 9/15/2021 / 6:37 p.m. CDT
White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Jeff Zients attends a meeting with President Joe Biden, business leaders and CEOs on the COVID-19 Response in the library of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on campus on Wednesday, September 15 of the White House in Washington. 2021. (AP Photo / Andrew Harnik)
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Biden administration is considering requiring vaccinations for COVID-19 and tracking international visitors after the US revised current sweeping restrictions banning many foreigners from entering the US, a senior white adviser said House on Wednesday.
Jeffrey Zients, the White House’s coronavirus response coordinator, said that due to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, current travel restrictions will remain in place until the government puts in place a “new system” to regulate international travel.
The system will play a prominent role for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“We will also be establishing contact tracing to enable CDC to track incoming international travelers and their surroundings when someone may have been exposed to COVID-19,” said Zients, “and we are investigating vaccination requirements for foreign nationals traveling to the United States. “
Zients gave the comments in front of a panel advising Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo on issues related to travel and the US tourism industry.
The US is currently banning most non-Americans who have traveled to China, India, the UK, most of Europe, Brazil, and other countries in the past 14 days. Airlines and other travel companies have pushed the administration to ease restrictions, especially for UK visitors.
Separately, Anthony Fauci, the government’s foremost infectious disease expert, has announced that he would support a proposal to require vaccination for people on domestic flights.
The aviation industry strongly opposes such a requirement as it would be difficult to enforce and could lead to long queues at airports. Industry officials say it would be unfair to weed out air travelers with a mandate that does not affect those traveling by train, bus or car.
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