The US will lift the ban on travel from eight African countries on December 31. To prevent the spread of the Omicron variant of the corona virus, the US announced a ban on travel from these countries last month. The first case of Omicron came in South Africa and since then infection of this variant has been confirmed in many countries.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and leaders of African countries criticized the travel ban as ineffective and harmful to the local economy. The ban was announced on 29 November. Under this, travel was banned for almost all non-US citizens, most recently in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi. This restriction will end on the last day of this year.
White House spokesman Kevin Munoz said on Twitter that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) had recommended the decision. Munoz said the temporary travel restrictions gave scientists the time needed to study new variants of the virus and conclude that current vaccinations are effective in preventing its effects.