White House to maintain travel restrictions as Delta ravages unvaccinated Americans

WASHINGTON — The White House is expected to keep international travel restrictions in place as the United States battles a resurgent COVID-19 among unvaccinated Americans. 

With only about 57 per cent of eligible U.S. residents fully vaccinated, media reports say the Biden administration plans to keep its borders closed for now. 

The decision comes after the U.S. extended a separate travel ban at its land borders with Canada and Mexico last week.

And it reflects the concerns of public health officials who fear the more infectious Delta variant will wreak ever more havoc in states with low vaccination rates. 

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the seven-day average of daily new cases was 47 per cent higher last week than the previous week. 

The CDC also says that Delta comprises 83 per cent of all new U.S. cases, the vast majority of which are among the unvaccinated.  

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 26, 2021. 

The Canadian Press