(CNN) – The European Union recommended, Monday, banning Americans from non-essential travel to its member states after an increase in cases of infection COVID-19 in the country.
The 27-nation bloc, which includes France, Italy and Germany, was advised to reinstate coronavirus-related restrictions and halt tourist arrivals from the United States and five other countries.
The guides, which now also includes Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Montenegro and North Macedonia, is not binding on EU member states. This means that it is still up to each EU country to decide whether to allow “non-essential travel into the EU for fully vaccinated travelers”.
Europe had begun to open up to travelers from the United States in May, with destinations dependent on tourism dollars from the other side of the Atlantic, eager to make up for the heavy losses incurred during successive lockdowns.
The European Council, the European Union’s governing body, recommended in June that the bloc lift restrictions on non-essential travel from 14 countries, including the United States.
However, cases of COVID-19 have been rising in the United States in recent weeks, as the highly contagious delta variant is spreading among unvaccinated Americans. Cases of Covid-19 among children have also reached levels not seen since the winter.
Dr. said. Anthony Fauci, the leading infectious disease expert in the United States government.
“We can change this and we can do it efficiently and quickly if we can vaccinate these people.”
Nationwide, 52.1% of the population was fully vaccinated as of Saturday, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Covid-19 cases are reported daily
Florida on Saturday had the highest rate of hospitalizations for COVID-19 in the country, with 75 patients hospitalized with the virus for every 100,000 residents, according to data from federal health authorities and Johns Hopkins University. Additionally, another epidemic peak of COVID-19 cases was reached Friday, with 690.5 new cases per 100,000 people per day between August 20 and 26, according to state data.
Less than 50% of the population of South Carolina, Louisiana, and Texas have been fully vaccinated. Studies have shown that full vaccination is necessary for optimal protection against the delta variant.
Many hospitals in those four states — Florida, South Carolina, Texas and Louisiana — are fighting the disease. Oxygen deficiency. Some are at risk of having to use their backup supplies or imminently running out of oxygen, according to state health officials and hospital advisors.
Saskia Vandoorne and Barry Nield contributed to this report.