As reported by the New York Times, on October 30, 2009, President Obama repealed the ban on travel to the United States by people who test positive for HIV. The final rule (pdf) lifting the ban will take effect on January 4, 2010. As of the effective date, foreigners wishing to visit the U.S., or seeking U.S. residency, will no longer be required to take an AIDS test.
Photo credit: change.gov
The New York Times reports that Chinese health officials will abolish mandatory testing for hepatitis B during medical exams given to prospective college students, factory workers and government employees. This policy change means that individuals who test positive for hepatitis B will no longer be automatically barred from classrooms and jobs. Experts contend that cancelling blood testing for employment and academic purposes will not cause the disease to spread.
The change, brought about by public pressure, is significant because 120 million people in China are estimated to be infected with hepatitis B. Infected individuals have been prohibited from attending medical school, securing teaching positions or filling jobs in the food production industry.
Health certificates authenticating that individuals are free of the H1N1 virus will be required for visitors to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) who are performing Haj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. According to a Khaleej Times article, the certificate will be “issued by accredited government health providers, not private health facilities, to guarantee greater accuracy in medical examination.” The UAE will not permit pilgrims to travel to Saudi Arabia without the certificate.
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Due to the rise in H1N1 virus (“swine flu”) carried by foreign visitors, travelers to India must disclose whether they are undergoing treatment for the illness or have shown symptoms, and, if so, they may be quarantined, hospitalized or denied a visa. As reported by Thaindian News, of India’s 340 reported H1N1 cases, 260 individuals caught the illness abroad, 111 coming from the United States.
Although to date no one has been denied a visa, Indian officials are advising that infected persons be cured before applying for a visa. Indian embassies have been issued guidelines concerning visas and the flu which, according to the World Health Organization, has been reported in 135 countries and claimed at least 800 lives.
The New York Daily News reports that the U.S. is moving toward ending its ban on HIV-infected foreigners entering the country. New regulations would not require HIV testing for various travel visas or permanent residence exams. The HIV travel ban started in 1987, at the height of the AIDS epidemic, but scientific and social advances have decreased concerns about the disease’s transmittal.
Congress proposed new regulations during George W. Bush’s final year in office, and with current administration backing the ban might be lifted by year’s end. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is currently seeking public comment on the matter and final say will rest with the Department of Health and Human Services.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking public comment on a set of proposed criteria to be used in determining which vaccines, among those recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for the United States’ general population, should be required for immigrants seeking admission into the U.S. or seeking permanent residence status. These specific criteria will be applied against each vaccine, rather than requiring all ACIP recommended vaccines for immigration purposes.
Through a notice (PDF) published in the Federal Register on April 8, CDC has proposed the following criteria:
The deadline for submitting written comments is May 8, 2009.
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