The United States' health protection centre has said that people fully vaccinated against Covid-19 can safely travel at "low risk" after the agency had held off for weeks on revising guidance that discouraged all non-essential trips.
The announcement lifts the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidance that all Americans should avoid non-essential travel.
The new advice specifically allows vaccinated grandparents to board planes to see grandchildren.
A group representing major US airlines including American Airlines, Delta Air lines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines and other trade groups on 22 March had urged the CDC to immediately update its guidance to say "vaccinated individuals can travel safely."
The new advice also says that fully vaccinated people do not need to get a Covid-19 test before or after travel and do not need to self-quarantine after travel.
The CDC said grandparents that have been fully vaccinated can fly to visit grandchildren without getting a coronavirus test or self-quarantining as long as they follow CDC advice for traveling safely.
But the administration is not lifting restrictions that bar most-non US citizens from the United States who have recently been in China, Brazil, South Africa and most of Europe.
It is also keeping requirements that nearly all international US air visitors get a negative Covid-19 test before traveling to the United States.
The CDC did not revise guidance for non-vaccinated people.
"Vaccines can help us return to the things we love about life, so we encourage every American to get vaccinated as soon as they have the opportunity," CDC director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.
The CDC's new guidance says fully vaccinated people do not need Covid-19 tests before international travel unless it is required by the international destination and vaccinated people returning from foreign travel do not need to self-quarantine after returning to the US, unless required by state or local authorities.
India reports six-month high of daily Covid infections
India has reported 81,466 new Covid-19 infections, the highest daily number in six months, as several states were hit by a second wave of the coronavirus.
Health ministry data showed the total number of cases surged to 12.3 million, making India the third-most hit country from the virus after the United States and Brazil. The number of those dead rose by 469 to 163,396.
Vaccination drives have been intensified amid the recent surge of cases, and many states are considering imposing fresh curbs on the movement of people.
Maharashtra, the western state that has been worst-hit from Covid-19 so far, reported as many as 43,183 new cases today - its highest since the pandemic spread to India in March 2020.
Officials in the state imposed a night curfew but are considering stricter control measures, including shutting down religious places and restricting train travel.
India imposed one of the world's harshest lockdowns to control the coronavirus early last year, but it was eased to salvage the economy and cases gradually fell later in the year.
The new surge this year presents a challenge to the government, which already struggled to implement last year's lockdown.
China vaccine maker Sinovac says doubles production capacity
Chinese biopharmaceutical firm Sinovac has said a third production line for its Covid-19 vaccine has been put into use, doubling its annual capacity of the jabs to two billion doses.
Its CoronaVac is one of four domestic vaccines given conditional approval by Chinese authorities, which helps rush emergency drugs to market.
On Wednesday, experts from the World Health Organization said an interim analysis of clinical trial data from two Chinese vaccines, including Sinovac's product, showed they demonstrated "safety and good efficacy", although more data is still needed.
"Over 200 million doses of CoronaVac have been delivered to over 20 countries, including China," said Sinovac in its latest statement.
Although Sinovac's jab has been approved by domestic regulators, it has yet to receive authorisation by what the WHO considers "a stringent regulatory authority", noted the UN health agency's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation (SAGE).
Sinovac is among Chinese firms to have submitted data in applications for the WHO's emergency use listing, which opens the door for the jabs to join the global Covax programme, which aims to ensure equitable access to Covid-19 vaccinations.
Japan getting more Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines to immunise elderly faster
Japan will receive bigger shipments of Pfizer Inc's Covid-19 vaccines to immunise the elderly faster, the government said today after negotiating the increase in supplies.
There would be enough vaccines distributed during the two weeks from 10 May to give a first shot to half of Japan's 36 million elderly people, it said.
Japan's immunisation campaign began in February, later than most major economies, and the Pfizer vaccine is the only one on offer.
Health workers have been prioritised, and as of yesterday more than 890,000 people had received at least the first of two shots.
