US to Require Negative Covid-19 Tests for International Travelers

Photo source: TSA

All international travelers to the United States will have to present a negative Covid-19 test result to be allowed admission into the country as of January 26, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced this week.

Under the expanded testing requirements, travelers to the US will be required to present a negative test result within three days of departure or proof of recovery from coronavirus.

The new requirement, which comes on the back of an earlier regulation this month concerning inbound passengers from the UK, applies to all travelers aged two or older with the exception of transit cases through the US.

“We have to really up the ante… We have to take these mutations seriously,” said Marty Cetron, director of CDC’s global migration and quarantine division referring to a variant of the virus which appeared in the UK.

At the same time, the CDC raised concerns that vaccines could potentially not be effective against virus variants.

US industry trade group, Airlines for America welcomed the decision. American carriers have repeatedly called for increased testing to replace blanket restrictions in order to facilitate safe travel.

Similar rules have been in place in Canada since January 7 applying to all international arrivals.