President Joe Biden will restrict travel from India starting May 4 on the advice of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), CNN reported Friday.
India is suffering a record-breaking spike, with thousands of deaths and hundreds of thousands of new coronavirus cases per day. The country reported nearly 380,000 new cases and 3,645 deaths on Thursday alone. The travel restriction will not, however, apply to U.S. citizens and only prevents those who cannot provide a negative COVID-19 test from traveling to the U.S. (RELATED: India Can’t Cremate The Bodies Of COVID-19 Victims Fast Enough)
News — A White House official tells CNN that on the advice of the CDC, the Biden administration will restrict travel from India starting May 4.
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) April 30, 2021
This does not apply to American citizens, and travel restrictions (like a negative Covid test before getting on the plane) are still in place. It also doesn’t apply to humanitarian workers.
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) April 30, 2021
Biden vowed to deliver aid to India on Tuesday after taking a call from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The two leaders resolved that the United States and India will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in the effort to protect our citizens and the health of our communities,” the White House said in a readout of the call. (RELATED: Steve Doocy Praises Joe Biden’s ‘Economy’ Amid ‘Doggone High’ Ratings)
The Biden administration is sending ventilators, oxygen and other supplies to assist the world’s second most populous nation.
“Just as India sent assistance to the United States as our hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, the United States is determined to help India in its time of need,” National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne said Sunday.
The Biden administration is also ramping up its coronavirus aid distribution across the globe. It has already begun delivering millions of doses of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine to South American countries and is preparing to deliver millions more internationally.