Team Biden has announced it’s finally lifting restrictions on vaccinated foreign flyers . . . in November.
Why on earth the delay? America has barred most of Europe from its shores for an unprecedented 18 months; there’s no reason to wait two more months to welcome the world — and its money — back as vaccination renders visitors extremely low-risk.
“International travel is critical to connecting families and friends, to fueling small and large businesses, to promoting the open exchange of ideas and culture,” White House pandemic coordinator Jeff Zients said Monday in announcing the news. All true — here in mid-September.
The US curbs on travel cost the economy nearly $198 million a day, per the World Travel & Tourism Council — and perhaps more than $1.2 billion a month from the loss of the UK market alone.
Plus, many of the 33 countries covered by the bans are more vaxxed than we are: 86 percent of Portugal’s residents have had at least one jab; it’s 74 percent for France and 73 percent for Britain, vs. the US rate of 64 percent.
The delay may center on Team Biden’s plans for an elaborate contact-tracing system for these visitors, though New York’s contact-tracing experience suggests this will be nothing but an expensive waste of time.
Vaccination is enough: Let the tourists back in now.