If you had contracted covid-19 anytime in the past but got recovered from it and also got the first dose of the two-dose vaccine, you still won’t be allowed to enter the US, as per the third world country’s latest rules. While its Friday announcement gave a green signal for international travellers who have received both shots of the vaccine, the Biden administration released a new condition which is being considered by other countries as “full vaccination”.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on 15th October that it will open its borders from November 8th for individuals who have got “any combination of 2 doses” from two-dose vaccines, irrespective of whether or not they have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.
However, those vaccinated with one shot of any 2-shot covid-19 vaccine will not be included in this scheme- regardless of their earlier contraction of the virus.
The new policy jeopardizes the travel plans of people across Europe, Italy and Greece where recovery from covid-19 and one-shot administration is being considered as fully vaccinated. The same model has been inculcated by Europe to issue its EU digital Covid certificate that the country accepts as a “vaccine passport”.
also read: China To Supply Another Batch Of 2,000,000 Covid 19 Vaccines To Nepal
Today’s announcement came as a surprise as the US has never previously contemplated the covid-19 recovery factor from its “vaccinated” criteria. Currently, both doses of any two-shot vaccine or Johnson & Johnson’s one-dose vaccine is required to be administrated by all US residents to be considered fully vaccinated. This does not mention any previous contact with the virus.
However, certain vaccines which aren’t cleared by the FDA (including AstraZeneca Plc shot and Chinese vaccines) will still be valid for people to enter the US.
Even if the home country of any traveller, who has recovered from covid-19 but not taken both vaccine doses considers them fully vaccinated, the US will not allow them to enter its nation, the Biden administration stated.
This might hinder the already weak ties between the US and France after Australia announced in September that it no longer needs the French diesel-powered submarines as it intends to purchase the US and UK nuclear-powered submarines.
The partnership abandonment left France fuming with US President Joe Biden pledging to “open a process of in-depth consultations, aimed at creating the conditions for ensuring confidence and proposing concrete measures toward common objectives” in his Sept 22nd‘s conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron.
While the US debars covid-recovered travellers, who got only one dose of vaccine, from entering, France, Norway, Greece and Italy consider this the standard for calling them fully vaccinated.
The term differs for each country with Greece considering those people as fully vaccinated who get the first shot within 6 months of recovery from covid-19. For Austria, people who got recovered from covid-19 and got their first dose are also considered fully vaccinated. Such individuals can get their second dose within a year of the same but still be called vaccinated during this time frame.
also read: Oxford-AstraZeneca, mRNA Vaccine Cocktail Shows Robust Immune Response; Study
A similar rule is applied by France and Norway but regardless of the interim for the second dose. President Macron is one of the people who fall under this standard set by the country.
As for Italy, it is soon going to issue a “green certificate” that will be presented to people who have recovered from covid and got one shot within the first year of contracting the virus. This certificate, which is valid for a year, will be required to work and enter most of the indoor areas.
