U.S. to impose travel curbs on eight southern African countries over new COVID-19 variant

U.S. President Joe Biden will restrict travel to the United States from eight southern African countries effective Monday over concerns about a new COVID-19 variant found in South Africa, a senior administration official said on Friday.

The official said the restrictions will apply to South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Malawi and were being “implemented out of an abundance of caution in light of a new COVID-19 variant circulating in Southern Africa.”

The policy does not ban flights or apply to American citizens and lawful permanent residents, the official said. The United States only lifted travel restrictions on South Africa on Nov. 8.