Biden revokes COVID travel, federal employee vaccine requirements

President Joe Biden on Tuesday revoked requirements that most international visitors to the United States be vaccinated against COVID-19 and ended requirements federal employees and contractors be vaccinated.

Biden's orders take effect at 12:01 a.m. ET May 12 with the expiration of the COVID public health emergency. The Biden administration's rules imposed in September 2021 requiring about 3.5 million federal employees and contractors to be vaccinated or face firing or disciplinary action have not been enforced for over a year after a series of court rulings.

The White House announced the plan last week to end the public health restrictions.