US to lift travel ban on Nov. 8 for those fully vaccinated

The US has announced that it will reopen its borders to fully vaccinated travellers from 8 November.

Under new rules announced by the White House, vaccinated people who have had a negative test in the 72 hours before travelling will be allowed to enter, the BBC reported.

The move marks the end of the tough restrictions that have been imposed on travellers since early last year.

"This policy is guided by public health, stringent and consistent," a White House spokesman said.

The current rules bar entry to most non-US citizens who have been in the UK and a number of other European countries, China, India, South Africa, Iran and Brazil within the last 14 days.

People who have received a jab from one of the vaccines approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or that have an Emergency Use Listing from the World Health Organization (WHO) will qualify under the system.

Accepting WHO approved shots will allow travellers who have received the AstraZeneca jab, widely used in the UK, as well as China's Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines, to enter the country.