The European Union has decided to reimpose restrictions on non-essential travel to its territory from five countries, including the United States and Israel, as part of the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a statement released on Monday. The countries in question are experiencing a strong epidemic rebound, the United States having even the most deaths in the daily world at the moment.
However, member states retain the possibility of lifting these restrictions for this type of travel for fully vaccinated people, the statement added. The five countries removed from the list for which the EU recommends lifting restrictions on non-essential travel are, in addition to the United States and Israel, Lebanon, North Macedonia and Montenegro. Kosovo is also removed from this list which is regularly updated.
Variant Delta and rise
The Delta variant has caused contamination to rise again in the United States as well as in Israel, which was one of the first countries to launch a vast campaign of vaccinations. The US borders remain closed for the moment to international travelers, whether tested or vaccinated.
The list of third countries for which the EU recommends lifting travel restrictions currently includes 17 countries plus China (subject to reciprocity) as well as the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao and the territory of Taiwan.
The EU is expected to announce in the coming days that it has achieved its goal of a complete vaccination of 70% of its adult population, marked however by disparities between its member states.