The White House on Monday announced a May 11 end to vaccine requirements for travellers to the United States and for government employees across the world's biggest economy.
"Today, we are announcing that the administration will end the Covid-19 vaccine requirements for federal employees, federal contractors, and international air travelers at the end of the day on May 11, the same day that the Covid-19 public health emergency ends," a statement said.
The vaccine requirements, first ordered by President Biden in late 2021, had sparked protracted legal and political battles, with Republicans saying the mandates were unnecessary — a position recently joined by a growing number of Democrats and public health experts as the pandemic threat has receded.
The requirement for federal workers has been blocked by federal courts since January 2022, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relaxed the mandate for international travellers last week, considering anyone who received a single dose of a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine after Aug. 16 as fulfilling it.
“Our Administration’s vaccination requirements helped ensure the safety of workers in critical workforces, including those in the health care and education sectors, protecting themselves and the populations they serve,” said a prepared statement from the White House statement. “.. We also put in place vaccination requirements for certain international travelers to slow the spread of new variants entering the country.”
The requirements on international travellers had ensnared tennis star Novak Djokovic, who is unvaccinated and was forced to miss several U.S. tennis tournaments. The episode became a political talking point: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said he would be willing to bring Djokovic to Florida via boat for the Miami Open this year, in an effort to circumvent the requirements.