(CMR) As of October 1, the United States will require immigrants and refugees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine before they are allowed into the country.
This means all applicants for permanent resident status in the US must be vaccinated against COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.
According to a release from the CDC, “The U.S. Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended COVID-19 vaccination for the age-appropriate, general U.S. population. Therefore, COVID-19 vaccination now meets the vaccination criteria for applicants for refugee or immigrant status.”
“All applicants who receive their medical examination from a Civil Surgeon or Panel Physician on or after October 1, 2021, will be subject to this requirement and are encouraged to complete a COVID-19 vaccine series as soon as possible,” the CDC announced
“If the COVID-19 vaccine is a two-dose series, both doses must be documented,” the agency adds.
Children for whom COVID-19 vaccines are not recommended because of their age, people with health reasons for not being able to get the vaccine, and green card applicants from countries where COVID-19 vaccines are easily accessible will be exempted from the rule.
Waivers will also be considered for people with religious or moral objections to receiving the vaccine. Decisions about such applicants will be made on an individual basis by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Applicants who refuse the vaccine without reason will be deemed inadmissible.
The CDC said these Technical Instructions would be in place until it is determined they are no longer needed to prevent the importation and spread of COVID-19.
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