US Government Officials Working to Ease COVID-19 Related Travel Restrictions

Despite remaining concerns from health officials, United States Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo revealed she continues to press for the government to ease coronavirus-related travel restrictions on people entering the country.

According to Reuters.com, business groups, lawmakers and officials from foreign governments have been advocating for the relaxation of tough restrictions previously put in place during the height of the pandemic.

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Raimondo revealed that she met with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra on Friday about the possible expanded reopening of international travel, saying, “We’re working it, I’m pushing really hard.”

“The CDC is nervous, and it’s hard to know if people are vaccinated,” Raimondo told Reuters. “There’s no vaccine passport that’s reliable, and that’s kind of a big hurdle.”

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg came out in support of Raimondo and the reopening plans, but others in U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration “remain worried that opening the door to more travelers from abroad could lead to increases in COVID-19 infection rates.”

While airlines and other travel-related industries are urging the administration to quickly lift restrictions covering most non-U.S. citizens from approved countries, the White House says it is continuing discussions with the European Union, Britain, Canada and Mexico on how to safely reopen the borders.