US Should Require Stricter Testing Protocols for International Travelers | US News

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Amid the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant, the Biden administration intends to toughen testing requirements for international travelers coming to the United States, including those who are vaccinated and unvaccinated.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a statement Tuesday that officials are working on a plan that would require international travelers to be tested for Covid-19 the day before their flight to the United States. Currently, fully vaccinated travelers can be tested for Covid-19 up to three days before their trip.

“The CDC is working to change the current global test order for travel as we learn more about the Omicron variant; a revised order would shorten the deadline for the tests required for all international air travelers to one day before departure for the United States, ”the agency said.

Details of the updated testing requirement are still pending. The new testing protocols will be finalized before Thursday, when Joe Biden delivers a speech on the United States’ plan to control the spread of Covid-19 during the winter months, according to a senior official who added that current details could still change.

The official, who requested anonymity due to the change in scenario, said additional options being considered included post-travel testing and even a possible self-quarantine requirement.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said on Tuesday: “The CDC is evaluating how to make international travel as safe as possible, including pre-departure testing closer to the time of flight and considerations for additional testing after the flight. ‘arrival and self-quarantines. “

Currently, the CDC recommends post-arrival testing three to five days after landing in the United States from overseas and for unvaccinated travelers to self-quarantine, but both actions are voluntary and participation is considered low.

The changes in international travel requirements come just weeks after the United States reopened its borders to more international travelers on non-essential travel on November 8, including to neighbors Canada and Mexico.

With Omicron cases now confirmed in North America, the US president has worked to allay concerns, saying in his remarks on Thursday: “I will come up with a detailed strategy outlining how we are going to tackle Covid this winter – not with closures. or blockages, but with vaccinations, boosters, tests and more even more prevalent. “

When asked by reporters if he would consult with other world leaders before changing travel requirements, which his predecessor failed to do, Biden said, “Unlike Trump, I am not shocking our allies.”

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