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 Currently, vaccinated international air travelers can present a
negative test result obtained within three days from their point of
departure. Nearly all foreign nationals must be vaccinated to enter
the United States. Unvaccinated travelers currently must get a
negative COVID-19 test within one day of arrival.
The new one-day testing requirement would apply equally to U.S.
citizens as well as foreign nationals.
Reuters reported earlier that a draft proposal was circulating among
government agencies for the stricter testing requirement.
A CDC spokeswoman confirmed the agency is working to modify its
global testing rules for travel "as we learn more about the Omicron
variant; a revised order would shorten the timeline for required
testing for all international air travelers to one day before
departure to the United States."
The administration is also considering whether to require air
travelers to get another COVID-19 test within three to five days
after arrival in the United States, officials said.
The CDC did not confirm that, but noted it continues to recommend
all "travelers should get a COVID-19 viral test 3-5 days after
arrival" and "post-travel quarantine for any unvaccinated
travelers."
The stricter rules could be announced Thursday, but it was not clear
when they might take effect.
[to top of second column] |
 CDC Director Rochelle Walensky
said the agency "is evaluating how to make
international travel as safe as possible,
including pre-departure testing closer to the
time of flight and considerations around
additional post-arrival testing and
self-quarantines."
On Monday, the White House barred nearly all
foreign nationals who have recently been in
South Africa and seven other southern African
countries over concerns about the Omicron
variant.
A White House official said earlier Tuesday the
administration is evaluating COVID-19 measures
"including considering more stringent testing
requirements for international travel."
On Tuesday, the CDC advised Americans against
travel to Niger, Papua New Guinea, Poland, and
Trinidad and Tobago, citing COVID-19 concerns.
The CDC now lists about 80 foreign destinations
as having "Level Four," its highest level of
COVID-19 transmission, and discourages Americans
from traveling to those destinations.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by
Sandra Maler, Cynthia Osterman and Leslie Adler)
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