The exemption takes into account regulatory differences over childhood immunizations and the availability of vaccines between countries, a senior White House official said during a conference call to clarify modalities for reopening the borders for air travel.
The United States will reopen its borders to foreign visitors with full covid-19 vaccination on November 8, more than 18 months after closing them to much of the world to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
But the borders will in fact be closed for many Latin Americans with less access to the vaccine in their countries and who until now traveled as tourists to the United States to get immunized.
Nevertheless, US health authorities will allow some “very limited” exceptions to this vaccination obligation, according to the same source.
In addition to children, certain participants in clinical trials of anticovid vaccines, people with medical contraindications to vaccination, travelers who travel for urgent or humanitarian reasons (with justification), and people who arrive, for reasons other than tourism, from countries where the vaccine is difficult to obtain, according to a document distributed by the Biden administration.
Unvaccinated children older than two years should have a test (antigen or PCR) within three days of departure if traveling with vaccinated adults. The deadline is shortened to one day if they travel alone or with unvaccinated adults.
In general, any foreigner must take the test (antigen or PCR) within three days before leaving if they are vaccinated, or the day before departure if they are not vaccinated.
The same testing requirements will apply to US citizens and permanent residents returning to the United States.
According to the White House, it will be up to the airlines to verify proof of vaccination before boarding.
What are the accepted vaccines for adults?
The United States informed that all vaccines approved by the FDA drug agency and the World Health Organization will be accepted. (WHO). At the moment, this includes vaccines for AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Pfizer/BioNTech, Sinopharm and Sinovac.
Different combinations of vaccines will also be allowed for the first dose and boosters, the White House said.
This excludes for now travelers immunized with the Russian vaccine Sputnik V and the Chinese CanSino, with no green light yet from the FDA or the WHO, but which were applied in many Latin American countries, including Argentina and Mexico.
The United States will also require airlines to collect information from travelers that allows US health authorities to locate them after entering the country in case of infection or contact with an infected person.
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