BREAKING: Biden’s Latest COVID-19 Rule Is Now In Effect

By
David Rufful
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OPINION | This article contains opinion. This site is licensed to publish this content.

Joe Biden’s latest COVID-19 rule is in effect.

All international travelers, including Americans, must test negative for COVID-19 within 24 hours of their departure to the United States.

This impacts all Americans, regardless of vaccination status.

The White House said this will “tighten pre-departure testing protocols by requiring all inbound international travelers to test within one day of departure globally, regardless of nationality or vaccination status.”

“This tighter testing timeline provides an added degree of public health protection as scientists continue to assess the Omicron variant.,” the White House added.

Biden also announced new travel restrictions on the country of South Africa as well as seven other countries despite previous comments that such bans bu Trump were racist and xenophobic.

Back in February 2020, Biden said Trump’s travel ban on China as well as other countries was the result of “hysteria, xenophobia, and fear-mongering.”

“We need to lead the way with science,” Biden claimed, adding “not Donald Trump’s record of hysteria, xenophobia, and fear-mongering.”

“He is the worst possible person to lead our country through a global health emergency,” Biden said.

Biden opposed Trump’s travel ban on China as well as six other countries including Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania.

Biden double-down against travel bans as late as March 2020.

He said, “A wall will not stop the coronavirus.”

“Banning all travel from Europe,” he continued, “or any other part of the world — will not stop it.”

“This disease could impact every nation and any person on the planet — and we need a plan to combat it,” Biden said, again opposing Trump’s effort to restrict travel in combatting the spread of the virus.

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Suddenly, now that Biden controls the White House, he is implementing his own travel bans.

He appears completely bind to his own hypocrisy.

In a statement, Biden says, “This morning I was briefed by my chief medical advisor, Dr. Tony Fauci, and the members of our COVID response team, about the Omicron variant, which is spreading through Southern Africa.”

“As a precautionary measure until we have more information, I am ordering additional air travel restrictions from South Africa and seven other countries. These new restrictions will take effect on November 29.”

More from Fox News:

Biden announced this requirement among a swath of other actions, including the extension of mandatory masking on public transportation and in airports until March 18, creating “Winter COVID emergency response team[s],” buying a stockpile of coronavirus therapeutics, and working to provide more at-home virus tests.

“We’re going to fight this variant with science and speed, not chaos and confusion, just like we beat back COVID-19 in the spring and more powerful variant — delta variant in the summer and fall,” Biden said Thursday as he unveiled his “COVID-19 Winter Plan.”

Biden also said Friday that he does not believe the White House will have to go beyond these measures to institute a vaccine requirement for domestic travel – at least “at this point.”

“The measures that I announced yesterday are — we believe are sufficient to deal with the proper medical precautions to deal with the spread of this new variant,” he said. “But we do require for travel — we’re going to continue to require people to have masks on — masks on — and in public places, and — and federal buildings.”

Biden added: “I continue to rely on the scientists and asking them whether or not we have to move beyond what we did yesterday. Right now, they’re saying no.”

Republicans argue that the vaccine requirements and masking rules the Biden administration is pushing are doing little but infringing on the freedom of Americans and hurting the economy. But Democrats and administration health advisers continue to say these steps are necessary to curb virus spread.