U.S. Requires COVID-19 Tests for All Arriving Air Travelers

By Mary Anne R. (staff@latinpost.com) First Posted: Jan 13, 2021 01:51 AM EST

Passengers wait for their luggage at O'Hare International Airport on December 23, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. According to AAA, an estimated 2.94 million people are expected to travel by air in the U.S. over the holidays from Dec. 23 through Jan. 3, which is a 59.9 percent drop from last year. (Photo : Scott Olson/Getty Images)

The United States will mandate those traveling to the country to show proof of a negative test for COVID-19 prior to boarding.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the new ruling on Tuesday after discussing with the White House coronavirus task force and other involved agencies, Breitbart News reported.

The order would take effect on Jan. 26, which marks the sixth day of President-elect Joe Biden's administration.

The CDC said they hope the new directive would help slow the spread of the virus, which is currently surging in the U.S. despite the states' vaccine rollout. CDC Director Robert Redfield said that 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," Redfield noted in a USA Today report.

The CDC said travelers must get a COVID-19 test within three days before their flight to the U.S. Travelers will have to show proof of their negative test to their airline before boarding.

According to the new CDC ruling, if a traveler fails to provide documentation showing a negative test or recovery from COVID-19, the airline must deny the passenger's boarding. The same goes if the passenger refuses to take a coronavirus test.

The CDC also suggests getting tested again three to five days after arriving in the U.S. and quarantining at home for seven days after the date of travel.

COVID-19 Testing Program for Travelers

According to a Conde Nast Traveler report, Airlines for America urged the U.S. government to establish a global program to require testing for travelers to the country with the current travel restrictions for international travelers.

Airlines for America said in its letter that they believe a well-planned program focused on increasing testing of passengers to the U.S. will be more effective than the travel restrictions currently in place.

Some U.S. states have already placed testing protocols for domestic travel. For instance, Hawaii's state requires travelers to show a negative COVID-19 test result, taken 72 hours before departure. An approved testing partner should also do it.

Travelers to Alaska must also show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of departure. New York also mandates travelers to test within three days of departing for New York and quarantine for three days after arrival before a second COVID-19 test.

Meanwhile, others claim that the CDC order is unlikely to cause an immediate increase in international travel. Henry Hartevedlt, a travel analyst for Atmosphere Research Group, said people are being encouraged by their public health authorities not to travel, even domestically.

Hartevedlt said he does not expect air travel to start increasing again until summer when more people have already been vaccinated, the Associated Press reported.

Tags COVID-19, U.S., COVID-19 test, travelers