The CDC will do a reassessment of this decision in 90 days, the official said.
The announcement comes as the busy summer travel season is kicking off and carriers were already bracing for record demand. Airlines have said that many Americans are not traveling internationally because of concerns they will test positive and be stranded abroad.The Biden administration will announce on Friday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will no longer require pre-departure COVID-19 testing for travelers coming to the United States after it determined based on the science and data that this requirement is no longer necessary.
The CDC will do a reassessment of this decision in 90 days, the official said.
The announcement comes as the busy summer travel season is kicking off and carriers were already bracing for record demand. Airlines have said that many Americans are not traveling internationally because of concerns they will test positive and be stranded abroad.Since December, the CDC has required travelers to test negative within one day before flights to the United States but does not require testing for land border crossings.
The official said, “If there is a need to reinstate a pre-departure testing requirement — including due to a new, concerning variant — CDC will not hesitate to act.”
Many countries in Europe and elsewhere have already dropped testing requirements.
The CDC is still requiring most non-U.S. citizens to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to travel to the United States.
In April, a federal judge declared the CDC’s requirements that travelers wear masks on airplanes and in transit hubs like airports unlawful and the administration stopped enforcing it. The Justice Department has appealed the order but no decision is likely before fall at the earliest.Since December, the CDC has required travelers to test negative within one day before flights to the United States but does not require testing for land border crossings.
The official said, “If there is a need to reinstate a pre-departure testing requirement — including due to a new, concerning variant — CDC will not hesitate to act.”
Many countries in Europe and elsewhere have already dropped testing requirements.
The CDC is still requiring most non-U.S. citizens to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to travel to the United States.
In April, a federal judge declared the CDC’s requirements that travelers wear masks on airplanes and in transit hubs like airports unlawful and the administration stopped enforcing it. The Justice Department has appealed the order but no decision is likely before fall at the earliest.
