If flying into the United States, travelers were required to produce proof of immunization or a negative COVID test. Before boarding their trip, all passengers had to produce confirmation of having recovered from the virus in the previous 90 days or a negative Covid viral test taken shortly before travel.
The US said on Friday that international visitors arriving by air will no longer be needed to undergo Covid-19 testing, marking a significant step toward the progressive relaxation of pandemic restrictions in the country.
The announcement was verified by White House Assistant Press Secretary Kevin Munoz on Twitter, with US media reporting that the testing requirement would be lifted this weekend following intense lobbying from the travel industry.
After determining that pre-departure COVID-19 testing is no longer necessary based on research and facts, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will no longer mandate it for visitors arriving in the United States. A senior Biden administration official told the Reuters press agency that the CDC will revisit this decision in 90 days.
The Biden administration reinforced the rule in November, as the highly transmissible omicron strain swept the globe, requiring all travelers, regardless of immunization status, to test within a day of arrival in the United States.
For months, airline and tourism organizations have lobbied the administration to remove the testing requirement, claiming that it is preventing consumers from booking overseas trips. Many other countries have relaxed their vaccination restrictions for fully immunized visitors in order to enhance tourism.
What CDC has to say
The CDC has required travelers to test negative within one day before flying to the United States since December, although testing is not necessary for land border crossings. “CDC will not hesitate to act if there is a need to reestablish a pre-departure testing requirement – including owing to a new, worrying variety,” the official stated.
Many Americans are avoiding overseas travel due to fears of testing positive and being trapped abroad, according to airlines. According to Isom, 75% of the countries in which the United States serves have no testing requirements.
“We’re obviously frustrated,” Isom said last week, “and this is something that is causing damage not only to US travel, but it just doesn’t make sense.”
The CDC increased standards for international flight travelers in December, requiring them to acquire a negative test within one day rather than three days of arriving in the US.
According to the Associated Press, the mandate will expire at 12:01 a.m. EDT (04:01 a.m. GMT) on Sunday because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have determined that it is no longer necessary. For more information, check this website https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/fr-proof-negative-test.html
Last month, the United States passed the one million Covid death record, with Biden praising the “unrelenting” pain of bereaved families and urging Americans to stay vigilant.
Despite the elimination of the testing mandate, the CDC will continue to encourage COVID-19 testing as a safety precaution prior to any type of aviation travel, according to a senior administration official.
On flights, buses, trains, and other types of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States, as well as indoors at U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations, the CDC recommends wearing masks over the nose and mouth.
The novel strain (COVID-19) belongs to the same viral family as the SARS and Middle East respiratory disease coronaviruses that cause severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronaviruses (MERS-CoV). The virus is communicated between humans via respiratory droplets, while it can also be disseminated through other means. Before they show symptoms, people can spread the infection. Those over the age of 60 who have other medical disorders are more likely to get the most severe forms.
Worldwide:
Omicron: As a precaution, numerous nations have restricted international flights arriving from specific southern African countries because of the Omicron variety. Other countries have imposed restrictions on all international flights.
For admittance into a rising number of nations, a negative COVID-19 test is required.
Prior to boarding, most airlines will check passengers’ documents. Travelers should check with their airlines or embassies for specific restrictions. As COVID-19 vaccines become available, countries are likely to require proof of vaccination as a condition of entry. Read more details on Inventiva – https://www.inventiva.co.in/
