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The U.S. will soon require a negative COVID-19 test from international airline passengers before flying to the country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Tuesday.
Everyone over the age of two arriving to the US from a foreign country will need to furnish proof of a negative test no more than 3 days before their flight departs.
The new rule starting on Jan. 26 will be put in place to curb the spread of Coronavirus as different variants are being discovered around the world. This backs a federal mandate that began Dec. 28 requiring negative tests for passengers flying to the U.S. from the U.K. A more contagious strain of the virus, known as COVID B117, was reportedly detected in Britain.
“Testing does not eliminate all risk, but when combined with a period of staying at home and everyday precautions like wearing masks and social distancing, it can make travel safer, healthier, and more responsible by reducing spread on planes, in airports, and at destinations,” CDC Director Robert Redfield said in a news release.
International air travel to the U.S. continues to be on a steady decline as the virus ravages the country. Travel to the states was down 76% in December compared to a year prior, according to Airline for America.
The U.S. is the latest country to implement testing policies. Canada announced on Dec. 30 that travelers entering the country would need to obtain a negative test.
CDC to require a negative COVID-19 test for airline travelers to U.S. was originally published on wbt.com
