White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said during Monday’s White House press briefing that the Biden administration would leave existing travel restrictions in place because of the Delta variant of the coronavirus.
“Given where we are today, and I think you’ve seen this and those of you who have asked, we’ve confirmed this for with the Delta variant, we will maintain existing travel restrictions at this point for a few reasons,” she said. “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.”
Psaki further noted that the CDC “just advised Americans against travel to the United Kingdom this past Monday given the surge in cases” and that “they will evaluate and make recommendations based on health data.”
#BREAKING: White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki announces the U.S. will maintain all travel restrictions and NOT be lifting any of them anytime soon because of the Delta variant.
The Biden administration is continuing its policy of family separations #LoveIsNotTourism pic.twitter.com/cuOy6ZRsRR
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 26, 2021
When asked a follow-up question from a reporter about whether the administration was talking about requiring vaccinated people to wear masks again, something that was suggested on Sunday by Dr. Anthony Fauci, Psaki appeared to suggest that that was something that was being considered, saying that “there, of course, is an active discussion about a range of steps that can be taken.”
Jen Psaki: There is an “active discussion” to reinstate mask mandate on fully vaccinated Americans pic.twitter.com/CdpzEWAwYq
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 26, 2021
Psaki refused to answer a question about whether Democrat President Joe Biden believes that there should be restrictions placed on unvaccinated people, saying that the president “believes we should be guided by the science.”
CNN's Kaitlan Collins asks Jen Psaki if unvaccinated Americans should face penalties and be singled out as not able to live the same lives as the vaccinated: "Does the President favor restrictions for unvaccinated people when it comes to restaurants, museums, concerts?" pic.twitter.com/ubgMedQV2Z
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 26, 2021
“And then, on the travel — the extension of the travel bans, is there a — is it an indefinite extension at this point? Is there an end date?” another reporter asked. “And given the concern about Delta that is leading the United States to keep those in place for now, does that suggest that Title 42, and the use of Title 42 at the southern border, is equally likely to be extended, at least for now, given the same concerns with the Delta virus, both here and abroad?”
“Well, nothing is indefinite because obviously our objective is to defeat the virus. So, no. But I don’t have a timeline to predict for you because it’s all about what success we have at getting more people vaccinated, getting more vaccines out to the world, and fighting the virus,” Psaki responded. “We have never conveyed or announced a timeline for Title 42. So, nothing has changed in that regard. It remains in place, and it will remain in place as long as that is the guidance from our health and medical experts.”
Jen Psaki to NYT's Michael Shear on U.S. travel bans and Title 42 at the border (which, if ended, would make this border surge look like a small backyard get-together): "Nothing is indefinite." pic.twitter.com/188tW06ble
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 26, 2021