COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate for US Entry... Will Chinese Nationals Be Allowed Entry? (Update)

White House Changes US Entry Requirements
Attention Focuses on Whether Chinese Vaccines Will Be Accepted

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Starting from November, travelers entering the United States will be required to have received a COVID-19 vaccine. Whether those vaccinated with Chinese vaccines, often criticized as "water vaccines," will be allowed entry is expected to become a contentious issue.

According to the Associated Press, Jeff Zients, the White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator, announced on the 20th (local time) that all foreign nationals entering the U.S. must present proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test result taken within three days prior to boarding their flight.

This strengthens the previous requirement, which only mandated a negative COVID-19 test result to board flights to the U.S.

Instead, starting in November, the U.S. plans to allow entry to travelers from countries such as Europe and the United Kingdom, where entry had been banned due to the COVID-19 situation.

There is also interest in whether the entry ban on Chinese nationals, which has been in place since the outbreak of COVID-19, will be lifted. Currently, the U.S. prohibits entry of individuals who have stayed in China for more than 14 days.

The U.S. government now faces the decision of whether to allow entry to Chinese nationals vaccinated with Chinese vaccines not approved by the U.S.

If Chinese vaccines are restricted, it could also limit entry for nationals of many countries vaccinated with Chinese vaccines.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have not approved the AstraZeneca vaccine developed in the UK, nor vaccines developed in China and Russia.

Zients stated that which vaccines will be accepted for U.S. entry "depends on the CDC's decision."

The U.S. also plans to tighten regulations for its own citizens. The government intends to require unvaccinated U.S. citizens to undergo COVID-19 testing one day before boarding a flight to the U.S. and one day after arrival.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.