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."
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2021/Dec/01/images/ads/current/LPL_small%201.gif)
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.
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![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2021/Dec/01/images/ads/current/eaton_lda_HFH_2021.png) 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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