News just hit that travelers entering the U.S. (including U.S. citizens) will no longer be required to show a negative COVID-19 test. This policy, that was first instated in January 2021, was long opposed by Congress members and travel industry workers alike. Other countries around the world have dropped testing requirements prior to the U.S.’s decision including Mexico, Iceland, Belgium, Croatia, Norway and more.
According to a senior administration official and a US Centers For Disease Control and Prevention official, pre-departure testing for COVID-19 will no longer be required for those traveling to the U.S. starting Sunday, June 12th. The new decision comes from science and data that concluded the requirement was no longer necessary for the time being, as first reported by CNN.
White House Assistant Press Secretary Kevin Munoz confirmed this announcement in a tweet stating the “US will end Covid-19 testing requirement for air travelers entering the country.” Upon implementation, the new ruling will be closely evaluated by the CDC for reassessment.
https://twitter.com/KMunoz46/status/1535254999088906241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1535254999088906241%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fiframe.nbcnews.com%2FDqPpJEk%3F_showcaption%3Dtrueapp%3D1
“The Covid-19 pandemic has now shifted to a new phase, due to the widespread uptake of highly effective Covid-19 vaccines, the availability of effective therapeutics, and the accrual of high rates of vaccine- and infection-induced immunity at the population level in the United States. Each of these measures has contributed to lower risk of severe disease and death across the United States,” the CDC told CNN.
Stay tuned for more information in the coming days.