US is opening up to unvaccinated visitors

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By Caolán Magee, CNN

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Wednesday, May 3

One of the last remaining Covid-related travel restrictions in the United States is about to go away – and that's potentially good news for tennis fans.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Monday that beginning May 12, non-US travelers entering the country will no longer be required to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

"DHS intends to rescind these Title 19 travel restrictions in alignment with the end of the Public Health Emergency and the termination of the Presidential Proclamation on air travel," the agency said in a statement.

The travel industry is welcoming the news. "Today's action to lift the vaccine requirement eases a significant entry barrier for many global travelers, moving our industry and country forward," U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman said in a statement.

The repercussions of the decision could have a big impact in the sports world.

The world's No. 1 tennis player, Novak Djokovic, missed several tournaments in the US due to the vaccine requirement.

Djokovic sparked controversy in April 2020 when he said he was opposed to a compulsory vaccination against the coronavirus.

"Personally I am opposed to vaccination and I wouldn't want to be forced by someone to take a vaccine in order to be able to travel," he said in a Facebook live chat, according to Reuters.

The 35-year-old had to withdraw from the US Open, the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells and the Miami Open because of his vaccination status.

He was deported from Australia ahead of the 2022 Australian Open after arriving in the country unvaccinated. Because of the absences, he temporarily lost his top singles ranking – which he has held for more weeks than any other player.

With the US Open beginning in August, tennis fans might have the chance of seeing the world's top player in action in the US.

"We certainly hope that Novak will be able to enter the country and compete in the 2023 US Open. He is a great champion and a fan favourite, and we would welcome him at this year's tournament," U.S. Tennis Association spokesman Chris Widmaier told CNN in a statement.

Travelers arrive at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 11 in New York.
(Yuki Iwamura/AFP/Getty Images)

The decision to end the public health emergency comes as the United States and the world continue to move past the pandemic.

The public health emergency will expire on May 11 – despite Biden being opposed to the plans.

The bill to end the national emergency cleared the Senate last month in a bipartisan 68-23 vote and passed the House earlier this year with 11 Democrats crossing party lines to vote for the joint resolution.

IN OTHER NEWS

Coronavirus tests will still be available when the US Covid-19 public health emergency ends on May 11 – but questions remain as to who will pay for them. For the past two years, the federal government has required private insurance companies to cover up to eight Covid-19 tests per person each month. Once the emergency ends, Covid-19 tests will be subject to cost sharing, meaning patients might be required to cover some of the costs. The federal government has encouraged insurers to continue covering the costs, but each company will ultimately be able to make their own decision. So far, details on their plans are scarce.

It's not just the US. Most people in the UK have had to pay for their Covid-19 tests for more than a year. In other European countries such as Germany and France, free Covid-19 tests have also been scrapped for many people. In Australia and New Zealand, where some of the world's most stringent lockdowns took place, free Covid-19 tests are still available. Canada also still offers free rapid antigen tests at many community pharmacies.

As May 11 approaches, there are still ways people in the US can obtain free Covid-19 tests. The Biden administration's website, COVID tests.gov, is still up and running, with four free tests available for any household that hasn't ordered since December. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also extended the expiration date for many home tests beyond what is printed on the box. Check the agency's website before throwing them out.
Another thing that will change once the US public health emergency expires on May 11 is the way the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tracks the spread of the virus. The color-coded Covid-19 Community Levels will be replaced with statistics on hospitalizations in some areas, according to a source familiar with the agency's plans.

This is much the same way the agency tracks other respiratory infections, such as the flu. However, concerns have been raised about the efficiency of the new system. This is because it can take a person a week to 10 days to be hospitalized with Covid-19, meaning that the nation may lose some of its capacity to identify an early spike in the virus.

YOU ASKED. WE ANSWERED.

Is the currently offered booster vaccine the same as before?

According to CNN medical analyst Dr. Leana Wen, the bivalent booster that is currently being administered is the most up-to-date version. It first became available in the fall of 2022. This booster targets both the original strain of the coronavirus as well the BA.4/BA.5 Omicron subvariants.

Studies have shown that this booster continues to be effective against commonly circulating strains when it comes to the important metrics of reducing severe illness. Those newly eligible for their second shot would receive this bivalent booster once again.

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