The United States of America announced  that it will soon allow entry to foreign travelers who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, by both land and air. The US will open its borders to vaccinated foreign travelers on November 8, a White House official said

“The US’ new travel policy that requires vaccination for foreign national travelers to the United States will begin on Nov 8. This announcement and date apply to both international air travel and land travel. This policy is guided by public health, stringent, and consistent,” White House assistant press secretary Kevin Munoz in announcing the news.

Note that the November 8 date applies to a change in air travel rules, as well as an opening along land borders with Canada and Mexico announced earlier this week.

The US will consider people arriving by plane vaccinated if they received shots that are either authorized by the Food and Drug Administration or have an Emergency Use Listing from the World Health Organization. The same will likely apply to those arriving by land, the official said.

For the unversed, US borders were closed after March 2020 to travelers from much of the globe, including the European Union, Britain and China, India and Brazil in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Overland visitors from Mexico and Canada were also banned.

Instead, under the new system, vaccinated people who have had a negative test in the prior 72 hours will be able to board a flight to the US as long as they share contact tracing information. Unvaccinated foreigners will be generally barred from entry, while unvaccinated Americans will need a negative Covid-19 test.

Under the new policy that was outlined last month, vaccinated air passengers will need to be tested within three days before travel, and airlines will be required to put in place a contact tracing system.