U.S. travel restrictions will remain in place due to the delta variant

Due to the rise of the delta variant, the United States has no plans to lift travel restrictions, according to the White House.

“Given where we are today … with the delta variant, we will maintain existing travel restrictions at this point for a few reasons,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at a press briefing Monday. “The more transmissible delta variant is spreading both here and around the world. Driven by the delta variant, cases are rising here at home, particularly among those who are unvaccinated and appear likely to continue in the weeks ahead.”

The restrictions mean that entry will be denied for people from the 29 countries that make up the European Schengen, the United Kingdom and six other countries.

The decision comes days after Canada announced its plans to reopen the border to vaccinated Americans on Aug. 9. The U.S. also extended its border restrictions to Canada and Mexico on nonessential travel; through Aug. 21.

The announcement made today by the White House also comes as Orange County, where Disney World is located, saw COVID-19 cases rise and AdventHealth intensive care units filling again with COVD-19 patients.

According to a news conference today by Orange County officials, AdventHealth has 862 COVID-19 patients hospitalized around Central Florida. The previous peak was nearly 900 patients in January at the height of the outbreak.

Those who are unvaccinated account for more than 90% of those hospitalized.

Orange County is seeing around 1,000 new COVID-19 cases per day, said Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said.

“We are now in crisis mode,” Demings said at the news conference. “The time really is now, like no other time in our community, for you to step up to the plate and get vaccinated. We have loved ones who depend on us.”

Travel restrictions were first imposed by the U.S. in March 2020 and were reinstated by President Joe Biden in January after then-President Donald Trump rescinded the restrictions days before the end of his term.

Prohibitions still include most travelers from:

• Brazil
• China
• European Schengen area (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City)
• United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland)
• India
• Iran 
• Republic of Ireland
• South Africa