Vaccinated Americans will soon be able to travel to Europe

EU countries will soon allow fully vaccinated travellers from across the US and several “safe” countries in, after an agreement was reached.

All 27 member states agreed to the easing of travel restrictions for the EU, following a year of severe entry restrictions, on Wednesday.

It will be the first time US travellers will be allowed to enter the EU after Covid, although only for those with full vaccinations.

It will not allow entry for travellers with vaccines not approved by EU regulators — including those of Russia and China.

A list of “safe” countries is expected within days, with entry restrictions easing for countries with 75 new Covid cases per 100,000 people in the past fortnight.

Previously, countries with with no more than 25 new Covid cases per 100,000 people in the past fortnight, were allowed to enter EU states.

It included seven countries, whose citizens were allowed to enter the EU on holiday, regardless of whether they were fully vaccinated.

If the US is not on the EU’s initial “safe” list, fully vaccinated US citizens will be able to enter the block for the first time in over a year.

It will mark the resumption of cross-Atlantic travel and a summer tourist season in the EU for Americans — 37.5 per cent of whom are fully vaccinated from Covid, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to the US State Department’s website, most of Europe remains under a “Do Not Travel Advisory”, but that could change after Wednesday’s agreement among EU member states.

To date, 16 per cent of EU citizens are fully vaccinated, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Additional reporting by Reuters.

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