President Joe Biden will reinstate COVID-19 travel restrictions on non-U.S. travelers from Ireland, the U.K., and 26 other European countries.
RELATED:
Biden To Recognize Guaido as Venezuela's Leader, Blinken Says
He will also require a COVID-19 test performed within 72 hours before arrival in the country, and a seven-day-long quarantine for all travelers.
This policy will overturn Donald Trump's order signed on January 18 that allowed foreign arrivals from these regions, heavily affected by COVID-19.
Biden's restrictions also extended to South Africa, China, Iran, and Brazil, due to the discovery of a new COVID-19 strain.
As of Monday, Washington will allow only U.S. citizens or immediate family members, permanent residents, or those on diplomatic, military, or official visas to return from those countries.
Last week, Biden warned that while the contagion curve has slowed, "unfortunately, the worst is yet to come" and urged citizens to wear masks.
"We are focusing our efforts on protecting American citizens and reducing new variants and exacerbating the current pandemic," U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) Director Anne Schuchat explained.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the U.S. has recorded over 25 million confirmed cases and 418,000 deaths.