Since the appearance of this variant, the arrival on American soil is prohibited to people from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi .
Le Monde with AFP
More than a month after the occurrence of the Omicron Variant in Southern Africa, the United States reopens their borders. Restrictions on trips to eight African countries, which had been imposed at the end of November to try to slow the spread of this new variant, will be lifted from December 31, “said Twitter a spokesman Friday. from the White House.
Arrival on American soil is currently prohibited to people from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi, a decision that had been announced On November 26 “by excess of precaution,” said the White House. This decision occurred while the US President Joe Biden had just reopened at the beginning of November the borders to travelers around the world, provided they are vaccinated against COVID-19, after twenty months of restrictions.
The Omicron variant largely present in the United States
The American executive ensures Friday, in a statement transmitted by a senior official of the White House, that “two essential reasons” decided to lift the restrictions. First, the observation that “current vaccines effectively protect against a serious [CIVID-19] form related to Omicron, especially after a booster dose”. Then, the fact that “international travelers from these countries will not have a significant impact on the number of cases in the United States”, now that the Omicron variant is largely present in the country.