Just in time for the peak summer travel season, the United States will scrap a cumbersome requirement for all incoming air passengers to furnish negative results from a fresh Covid-19 viral test.
The White House is set to announce on Friday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will stop demanding test results starting Sunday, June 12.
CDC rules required that travelers obtained tests no more than one calendar day before travel.
The rule, which was in place since January 2021, applied to everyone, including all vaccinated passengers and U.S. citizens reentering the country from abroad. Abolishing the requirement became a major target for the tourism industry, which complained that testing added confusion and expense that were stifling the full recovery of the American travel industry.
Almost all other countries that previously required a negative Covid-19 test for entry have already dropped the mandate.
The CDC noted that it continues to monitor the epidemiological situation and will reassess the decision in 90 days.
Cruise ships voluntarily operate under a different set of CDC-recommended protocols and passengers may be still be asked to provide negative Covid-19 test results before boarding.
