US to maintain travel restrictions as delta variant spreads

The United States announced Monday that it would keep in place COVID-19 travel restrictions as the more transmissible delta variant continues to spread both domestically and internationally.

"We will maintain existing travel restrictions at this point for a few reasons. The more transmissible delta variant is spreading both here and around the world," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said during a press conference, according to The Hill.

Psaki said the travel restrictions due to the new variant would likely "continue in the weeks ahead," but did not give specifics of how long or when the restrictions would be lifted.

The White House referred to an order by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week, which had advised Americans against traveling to the United Kingdom due to the surge in cases.

Last month, the Biden administration announced an agreement with Canada, Mexico, the European Union and the United Kingdom to work together and weigh when to lift international travel restrictions.