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 The new restrictions, which take effect on Tuesday, May 4 at 12:01
am ET (0401 GMT), are on the advice of the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) and were imposed because "the magnitude
and scope of the COVID-19 pandemic" in India was "surging," the
White House said.
Biden on Friday signed a proclamation implementing the restrictions,
which were first reported by Reuters.
The proclamation said India "accounts for over one-third of new
global cases" and added that "proactive measures are required to
protect the nation's public health from travelers entering the
United States" from India.
In January, Biden issued a similar ban on most non-U.S. citizens
entering the country who have recently been in South Africa. He also
reimposed an entry ban on nearly all non-U.S. travelers who have
been in Brazil, the United Kingdom, Ireland and 26 countries in
Europe that allow travel across open borders. China and Iran are
also both covered by the policy.
The policy means most non-U.S. citizens who have been in one of the
stated countries within the last 14 days are not eligible to travel
to the United States. Permanent U.S. residents and family members
and some other non-U.S. citizens, such as students, are exempted.
The decision to impose the latest travel restrictions came about
quickly and was only reached in the last 24 hours, sources said.
The Indian Embassy in Washington did not immediately comment.
Second only to the United States in total infections, India has
reported more than 300,000 new cases daily for nine days in a row,
hitting another global record of 386,452 on Friday.
Total deaths have surpassed 200,000 and cases are nearing 19 million
- nearly 8 million since February alone - as virulent new strains
have combined with "super-spreader" events such as political rallies
and religious festivals.
Medical experts say real numbers may be five to 10 times higher than
the official tally.
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 Other countries have imposed
similar travel restrictions on India, including
the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and
Singapore, while Canada, Hong Kong and New
Zealand have suspended all commercial travel
with India. On Wednesday, the
White House said the United States was sending supplies worth more
than $100 million to India to help it fight the COVID-19 surge.
The supplies include oxygen cylinders, N95 masks and rapid
diagnostic tests. The United States also has redirected its own
order of AstraZeneca manufacturing supplies to India, which will
allow it to make over 20 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine,
according to the White House.
AIR TRAVEL
Nearly all travelers to the United States by air must show proof of
a negative coronavirus test or recovery from COVID-19.
In recent weeks, the White House and U.S. agencies have begun
holding conversations about how to eventually unwind the policy as
vaccination campaigns are rolling out and cases are declining in
some countries.
U.S. international air travel remains down 60% from pre-COVID-19
levels, while U.S. domestic air travel is down 40%, according to
industry trade group Airlines for America.
U.S. airlines and travel groups have urged the White House to set
benchmarks for the eventual loosening of restrictions.
(Reporting by David Shepardson, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
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