The U.S. on May 11 will repeal its requirement that inbound international air travelers show proof of a Covid-19 vaccination.
The requirement will be dropped at the end of the day on May 11, the same day it ends the Covid-19 public health emergency designation.
In its announcement, the Biden administration said that the vaccination requirements for international travelers had been put in place to slow the spread of variants and allow the U.S. healthcare system to better manage care.
However, it added, cases are at their lowest levels since the start of the pandemic. "We are in a different phase of our response to Covid-19 than we were when many of these requirements were put into place," it said, referring to various Covid-related protocols. A requirement that travelers present a negative Covid-19 test prior to entry was dropped last year.
In a brief statement, U.S. Travel Association CEO Geoff Freeman praised the decision while adding that airports and other ports of entry need to be appropriately staffed to meet travel demand. "Today's action to lift the vaccine requirement eases a significant entry barrier for many global travelers, moving our industry and country forward," he said.