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USA wants to end compulsory testing for travelers from abroad
Until now, travelers with destinations in the USA had to be tested the day before their international flight and were only allowed to board with a negative result. Photo: Christian Charisius/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
If you want to travel to the USA, you previously needed a negative corona test – that should now be a thing of the past. When does the obligation to test cease to apply?
According to a media report, travelers from abroad to the USA should no longer have to present a negative corona virus test before their flight from Sunday.
The US broadcaster CNN, citing government circles, reported that President Joe Biden’s government is expected to announce on Friday that the CDC health authority will lift the obligation to test. The US travel industry has long been calling for an end to mandatory testing for fully vaccinated air travelers.
Until now, travelers with destinations in the USA had to be tested the day before their international flight and were only allowed to board with a negative result. The test requirement applies regardless of vaccination status and applies to both foreigners and Americans. Excluded are people who have just recovered from Covid-19 and can show a letter from a doctor or health authority. For flights within the USA, on the other hand, there is no obligation to test and, according to a ruling by a federal court, there is no longer any obligation to wear a mask.
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday last week that the government was sticking to mandatory coronavirus tests for foreign travelers to the United States. Changes to the regulations would be made solely on the basis of the judgment of health and medical experts.
The US travel industry has called for the obligation to test to be ended as quickly as possible. In a letter from airlines, airports, hotel chains, associations and companies from the industry to the White House coronavirus coordinator last month, it was said that the economic losses due to the measure were significant. It was also pointed out that there is no mandatory test at the land borders with Canada and Mexico.