Minutes after Donald Trump’s statement on Monday, 18 January, about lifting the travel ban on Europe and Brazil passengers, effective 26 January, US President-elect Joe Biden’s administration dismissed the announcement on Twitter.
Jen Psaki, Biden's press secretary, refuted Trump’s statement in light of how the 'pandemic is worsening and more contagious variants are emerging around the world.’ “This is not the time to be lifting restrictions on international travel,” she added.
Psaki said that the Biden administration has come to this decision upon the advice of their medical team, and intends to “strengthen public health measures around international travel in order to further mitigate the spread of COVID-19.”.
“This action is the best way to continue protecting Americans from COVID-19 while enabling travel to resume safely," Trump has said, adding that he would be lifting bans on travellers of Europe and Brazil, effective 26 January.
The outgoing president stated that travel bans for Iran and China would remain in place, reported AFP.
Trump’s statement comes days after the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that flight travellers are to declare negative COVID-19 test results within three days of departure, noted AFP.
On Wednesday, 20 January, President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Devi Harris will take their oaths of office, instating Biden as the 46th President of the United States of America.
Biden-Harris are to take office amidst an unprecedented time in global and national history. 370,000 Americans have lost their lives to COVID-19, and millions of others are reeling from the economic backlash caused by the global pandemic.
(With inputs from AFP)
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