The United States late Friday rescinded a requirement that people arriving in the country by air test negative for COVID-19, a move that comes after intense pressure from airlines and the travel industry.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky issued a four-page order lifting the mandate, effective 12:01 a.m. Sunday, saying it is “not currently necessary.”
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The requirement had been one of the last major travel requirements in the U.S. Its end comes as the summer travel season begins, and airlines were already preparing for record demand.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said the CDC’s decision is based on science and available data, and said the agency “will not hesitate to reinstate the pre-departure testing requirement if needed at a later date.”
CDC will reassess the decision in 90 days, an administration official said.
The United States has required inbound international air travelers to provide negative tests prior to departure since January 2021. In December, the CDC tightened the rule to require travelers to test negative one day before flights to the United States, instead of three days.
CDC has not required testing for land border crossings.
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Many countries in Europe and elsewhere have already eliminated testing requirements.
CDC continues to require most non-U.S. citizens to be vaccinated against COVID for travel to the United States.
Two officials told Reuters that the Biden administration had considered lifting the testing measure only for vaccinated travelers.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said it was “great news” that the administration was “eliminating ineffective pre-departure COVID testing for travel to the United States.”
The CDC continues to recommend that travelers wear masks and get COVID-19 testing before and after international flights.
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