US Lifts Covid Travel Ban on UK and EU Tavellers

The United States has decided to lift travel ban on United Kingdom and European Union travelers coming into the coming.

The lifting of the ban commences from November. A ban due to the COVID-19 pandemic was enforced since March 2020 when the pandemic began gathering pace.

According to agency report, the move has been welcomed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, along with UK airlines and airports

It was reported on Monday that the UK recorded 36,100 new Covid cases and 49 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.

The UK has being offering a booster shot to all adults over 50 across the UK from Monday, with children aged 12 to 15 in England and Scotland are also now able to get a Covid vaccine

It was also reported that the roll-out is also beginning in Wales this week, while in Northern Ireland it is likely to be offered from October

Reacting to the development in a tweet, the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he is delighted by the US decision to lift a travel ban on arrivals from the UK.

Johnson, who was born in the US, described the move as “a fantastic boost for business and trade” and says it is “great that family and friends on both sides of the pond can be reunited once again”.

His new Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, also welcomed the news, saying it is “important for our economic recovery, families and trade”.

Meanwhile, the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps who gave a statement in the House of Commons, confirming the announcement from the White House that from early November fully vaccinated UK travellers will be able to go to the US, said

UK will extend its policy of ending quarantine for fully vaccinated passengers to arrivals from more countries, including Canada and Japan, from 4 October.

Shapps said that as one of the world’s most vaccinated countries the UK must use that to its advantage to restore freedoms lost over the past 18 months.

“Recovery is the best way to support the aviation sector,” he said.

British Airways boss Sean Doyle described the news of the end of the US travel ban after 18 months as “an historic moment” which will provide a “huge boost for global Britain as it emerges from this pandemic”.

He said: “We are immensely grateful to the prime minister and his government for all the hard work that’s gone into securing this deal with the US, and which builds upon last Friday’s announcement on the lifting of many travel restrictions.”

He added that: “Our customers should now feel that the world is re-opening to them and they can book their trips with confidence.”

Michael Olugbode in Abuja with Agency report

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