Once the clock strikes midnight on May 11, travelers can breathe a little easier when traveling into the U.S. According to CNN, the country is ending its “COVID-19 public health emergency” after Thursday, which also ends a three-year-long ban on unvaccinated international travelers following the chaotic viral outbreak.
White House officials say the ban served as an attempt “to slow the spread of new variants entering the country and to allow our healthcare system time to effectively manage access to care if faced with an increase in cases and hospitalizations.” Over 1 million Americans died from COVID after the virus ravaged families worldwide. The travel ban aimed to prevent additional deaths as the country adjusted to a new normal.
Now, unvaccinated travelers are anticipating re-entering the States. However, a few countries still enforce COVID travel restrictions to protect their citizens.
China is the primary country still keeping COVID travel rules in place. While Chinese citizens are allowed to travel internationally, foreigners still are not allowed to enter the country unless on business or visiting family, according to CNN.
Foreign visitors permitted into the country must have proof of a negative PCR test within 48 hours of boarding a flight to China, according to the Independent. This takes leisure visits to the country of the Red Dragon off the table for tourists heading into the summer travel season. Keep in mind, these restrictions do not apply in Hong Kong, and no testing is required regardless of the travelers’ vaccination status when entering the city.
Brazil is also continuing to uphold its restrictions following the 2020 outbreak. Unvaccinated travelers must still provide proof of a negative COVID test 24 hours before flying to the country. It’s recommended to have a copy of your vaccination records handy on your phone or printed out because there are still local requirements to access gyms, restaurants and hotels, according to the Foreign Office.