Tensions with France could continue thanks to US’ new vaccination travel rules

US risks more tensions with France over new travel rules that disqualify people who’ve recovered from COVID and then gotten one shot of vaccine, including Macron

  • The U.S. is risking more tensions with France over how the country plans to define who’s vaccinated when the U.S. opens back up to European travelers 
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will allow in people who’ve had ‘any combination of two doses’ of the COVID-19 vaccines 
  • The U.S. will not allow in people who have recovered from COVID-19 and had one shot of vaccine, which is considered full vaccination in France 
  • French President Emmanuel Macron, who had COVID-19 last December, fits into this vaccination category  


The United States is risking more tensions with France over how the country plans to define who’s vaccinated when the U.S. opens back up to European travelers next month. 

Bloomberg reported Tuesday that when the U.S. opens its borders to vaccinated travelers on November 8, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will allow in people who’ve had ‘any combination of two doses’ of the COVID-19 vaccines. 

France and the European Commission consider those who have recovered from COVID-19 and received one dose of a two-dose vaccines to be fully vaccinated, however the U.S. will not, according to an agency spokeswoman. 

French President Emmanuel Macron

President Joe Biden’s (left) administration is risking ruffling more feathers with the French by omitting from the definition of travelers who are fully vaccinated individuals who’ve had COVID and one shot, which would include French President Emmanuel Macron (right)

The U.S. is opening travel back up with Europe on November 8, but the country's definition of who's fully vaccinated could cause confusion because the French and the European Commission say that includes people who've recovered from COVID and received one dose

The U.S. is opening travel back up with Europe on November 8, but the country’s definition of who’s fully vaccinated could cause confusion because the French and the European Commission say that includes people who’ve recovered from COVID and received one dose 

Among those who have only received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine: French President Emmanuel Macron, who had COVID last December.  

France’s relationship with the Biden administration was rattled after Australia pulled out of a nuclear submarine deal with France to instead enter into a partnership with the United Kingdom and the U.S. last month. 

The French were so upset about the deal that they yanked their ambassador from Washington.  

The U.K.’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson mocked the French’s hurt feelings when talking to reporters on Capitol Hill following a meeting with President Joe Biden. 

‘I just think it’s time for some of our dearest friends around the world to prenez un grip about this and donnez-moi un break,’ Boris said. 

Biden was more diplomatic about the rift, calling Macron later that day. 

In a joint statement the leaders ‘agreed that the situation would have benefitted from open consultations.’ 

Biden is expected to meet one-on-one with Macron on the sidelines of the G20 in Rome later this month. 

At Tuesday’s press briefing, press secretary Jen Psaki was asked if the administration was talking to Europe about allowing visitors into the U.S. who had recovered from COVID and received just one shot. 

‘So we, of course, base our guidance on the CDC and our public health experts here in the United States. We’re always looking at evaluating how to apply that based on public health guidance,’ Psaki answered. 

‘So nothing has changed at this moment, but we continue to review that as has been the case since the beginning of the administration,’ she added. 

The policy will allow travelers to come into the U.S. who have been vaccinated using vaccines that haven’t been approved by the CDC – including the AstraZeneca shot and several Chinese vaccines. 

It will also allow people to come in who have had mixed doses of vaccines – something the Food and Drug Administration plans to allow for Americans seeking booster shots, but has yet to go into effect.       

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk