WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 — US President Donald Trump lifted COVID-19 restrictions on travel to the United States from the Schengen Area, the UK, Ireland and Brazil, reported Sputnik news agency, quoting a proclamation on the White House’s website.
“Proclamation 9993 of March 11, 2020 (Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus), Proclamation 9996 of March 14, 2020…, and Proclamation 10041 of May 24, 2020…, are hereby terminated effective at 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time on January 26, 2021,” it said.
Trump explained that the countries for which the ban was lifted had a proven record of cooperating with the United States to share accurate and timely coronavirus testing.
“This cooperation stands in stark contrast to the behaviour of the governments and state-owned enterprises of the People’s Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of Iran, which repeatedly have failed to cooperate with the United States public health authorities and to share timely, accurate information about the spread of the virus,” according the to proclamation.
“Accordingly, the Secretary (of Health) has advised me to remove the restrictions applicable to the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, and the Federative Republic of Brazil, while leaving in place the restrictions applicable to the People’s Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of Iran. I agree with the Secretary that this action is the best way to continue protecting Americans from COVID-19 while enabling travel to resume safely,” Trump said.
Source: BERNAMA