As the Trump administration announced Monday it has eased travel restrictions between the United States and Europe along with Brazil, President-elect Joe Biden's incoming press secretary Jen Psaki said the Biden administration will not be easing restrictions.
The restrictions were slated to be lifted on January 26, however with Biden taking office on Wednesday, the proclamation will be rescinded.
"On the advice of our medical team, the Administration does not intend to lift these restrictions on 1/26. In fact, we plan to strengthen public health measures around international travel in order to further mitigate the spread of COVID-19," Psaki wrote on Twitter.
The United States first implemented travel restrictions with the Schengen Area of Europe on March 11, 2020, which encompasses Western Europe except for Great Britain and Ireland. The restrictions barred non-essential travel from non-US nationals into the US. The US later added the UK to its list of countries where travel is restricted from.
The US implemented rules last week that travelers entering the US must test negative for the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, the European Union is not expected to lift its travel restrictions on Americans. Currently, Americans are only able to travel to the European Union for essential purposes.
