A traveler leaves a test center at Heathrow Airport in London on January 17, 2021.
Hollie Adams | Getty Images News | Getty Images
On Monday, President Donald Trump lifted a Covid-19 ban on most foreigners from Europe, Great Britain and Brazil to enter the United States, effective January 26.
The White House put the rules in place at the start of the pandemic to contain the spread of the virus. They banned most non-US citizens from entering the US if they had been to Brazil, the 26 Schengen countries in Europe, Ireland or the UK in the past two weeks.
Trump’s order comes less than a week after the US announced that overseas travelers, including US citizens, would have to take a negative test for Covid-19 before flying. This requirement will take effect on January 26th, the day the travel restrictions are lifted.
The planned lifting of the ban is due to come into effect a few days after the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday.
Airlines have repeatedly urged the U.S. government to lift travel bans, which have contributed to a sharp drop in demand for air travel, in advance of the flight with Covid-19 tests.