There is an expectation that the administration of the US president Joe Biden today announced that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will lift the requirement that travelers test negative for Covid-19 before entering the United States. The information is from a government official.
As the CNN was the first to report, will go into effect for US-bound air travelers at midnight Sunday (12).
The CDC is lifting the restriction that the travel industry lobbied against for months after determining it was no longer necessary “based on the science and data,” the official said.
The CDC will re-evaluate its decision in 90 days, and if experts decide they need to reinstate it, because of a new variant of concern, for example, they will do so. The measure has been in effect since January 2021.
The official said the Biden administration plans to work with airlines to ensure a smooth transition with the move, but it will likely be a welcome move for most in the industry.
Travel industry officials have been increasingly critical of the requirement in recent weeks and have directly urged the Biden administration to end the measure, arguing it was having a chilling effect on an already fragile economy, according to Airlines for America boss Nick Calio, whose group recently met with White House officials.
The travel industry and scientific experts said the policy had been out of date for months.
Lawmakers, including Democrats, have also advocated lifting the requirement in recent weeks.
Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto said: “I am happy that the CDC has lifted the coronavirus testing requirement for international travelers and I will continue to do everything I can to support the strong recovery of our tourism industry.”
Source: CNN Brasil
