It has been a year and a half since the new crown epidemic spread around the world, and tourists from 33 countries who cannot freely come to the United States due to epidemic prevention restrictions have finally waited for the day when the door opens. On Monday (8th), airports across the United States are expected to be crowded with long-lost reunions, hugging and reuniting with parents and friends.
The picture shows the passenger flow at Denver Airport in Colorado. (Image source: Reuters data map)
According to the New York Times, the White House previously announced that it would open its entry to vaccinated tourists from some countries from November 8. Luise Greve, 23, from Erlangen, Germany, was one of the first international travelers to fly to the United States on the day.
Under the new rules, fully vaccinated travelers can only come to the U.S. after presenting a vaccination certificate and testing negative for COVID-19 within three days prior to entry. Unvaccinated U.S. citizens and children under the age of 18 are exempt from these requirements, but must be tested for COVID-19 within 24 hours of travel.
The last time Greve was with her boyfriend was in March 2020 — "almost 600 days ago," she said. She spent three weeks in Missouri with her boyfriend.
The couple met in early 2019. In March 2020, about a week before Grave returned to Germany from the United States, the United States suspended travel to the United States by most European travelers. As the pandemic continued, Grave's boyfriend could have visited her in Germany, but because his job didn't include holidays and he couldn't quit, he had to stay in the U.S.
Grave, who wanted to come to the United States by staying in Canada and then re-entering the United States, has booked a flight from Nuremberg, Germany, at 6 a.m. on the 8th, and will arrive in Kansas City at 8:27 p.m. after several transfers.
Grave said: "I was always worried that this trip would go wrong because everything was messed up during the entire pandemic. Only when I landed in Kansas City could I breathe a sigh of relief. ”
Beatrice Fratini, 24, who now lives near Venice, Italy, is also in disbelief about the upcoming reunion. She will arrive in Washington on the evening of the 8th by flight to reunite with her fiancé in the United States.
Flatini said: "I'm excited, but I won't believe it until I see him in person. Flatini said the travel ban had traumatized her. (End)