‘Meant To Be Temporary,’ Surgeon General Defends U.S. Travel Bans from Southern Africa

‘What travel restrictions can do is buy you some time’

(Via Mediaite)

Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy defended the U.S. maintaining the travel ban on South Africa and neighboring countries, despite the Omicron variant being detected in at least 16 states and elsewhere around the world.

“This was put in place, these restrictions in travel first, because there [was] a growing number, a rapid growing number of cases that were found in South Africa,” Murthy told CBS’ Face the Nation on Sunday. “And the travel restrictions, they don’t permanently keep the variant out. We know that.”

Host Margaret Brennan interrupted, “It’s here.”

“What travel restrictions can do is buy you some time,” Murthy continued. “They can buy you some time to do important things.”

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