<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">The White House on Monday announced a May 11 end to Covid-19 vaccine requirements for travelers to the United States and for government employees across the world's biggest economy.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">"Today, we are announcing that the administration will end the Covid-19&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 1rem;">vaccine requirements for federal employees, federal contractors, and&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 1rem;">international air travelers at the end of the day on May 11, the same day&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 1rem;">that the Covid-19 public health emergency ends," a statement said.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">More than a million people died from Covid-19 in the United States. However, the White House noted that the pandemic had been all but stopped, leading to the government lifting restrictions dating back from when the disease was ravaging entire communities and forcing crippling economic shutdowns.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">"Since January 2021, Covid-19 deaths have declined by 95 percent and&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 1rem;">hospitalizations are down nearly 91 percent. Globally, Covid-19 deaths are at their lowest levels since the start of the pandemic," the statement said.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to the White House, "vaccine requirements bolstered vaccination across the nation, and our broader vaccination campaign has saved millions of lives."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">While demanding proof of a Covid vaccination for foreigners boarding US-bound flights mirrored the practice of many countries, the domestic government vaccination mandates sparked sometimes fierce political backlash at home.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">In addition to ending the vaccine rules, President Joe Biden announced in&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 1rem;">April he was officially calling an end to the national health emergency that&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 1rem;">for more than three years had underpinned a series of extraordinary&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 1rem;">government measures.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These included lavish funding for free Covid testing and vaccinations across the country. AFP</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>