Covid: New international travel rules in US

New rules will take effect on Monday requiring international air travelers arriving in the United States to obtain a negative Covid test within one day of travel. 

According to an order issued Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "all air travelers, regardless of citizenship or vaccination status, will be required to show a negative pre-departure Covid-19 viral test taken the day before they board their flight to the United States."

Under current rules, vaccinated international air travelers can present a negative test result within three days of their departure, Reuters reported.

However, unvaccinated travelers must get a negative result within one day.

The CDC’s order urged that the agency "must take quick and targeted action to help curtail the introduction and spread of the omicron variant into the United States."

A factsheet from the White House explained that the tighter testing guidelines provide an “added degree of public health protection as scientists continue to assess the omicron variant.”

Those crossing the US land border with Canada or Mexico will not be subject to the announced testing requirements.

The order further mentioned that the CDC "may exercise its enforcement discretion to adjust the scope of accepted pre-departure testing requirements to allow passengers and airline and aircraft operators greater flexibility regarding the requirements,” Reuters reported.

Airlines are expected to be given a three-day grace period by the CDC to allow some travelers to return to the US with tests taken outside of the one-day window.