The U.S. government is expected to provide evidence of a negative Covid-19 test from all international airline passengers before entering the country, people familiar with the matter said.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention plans to issue its order as soon as Tuesday, following weeks of discussions between federal agencies and the White House Coronavirus Task Force. According to a person familiar with the matter, the order is expected to take effect on January 26. The CDC and other administrative officials were still completing the order.
The CDC order for universal testing of passengers, including U.S. citizens returning from abroad, comes weeks after the Trump administration imposed a test requirement on UK travelers over concerns about a more contagious strain of the virus has been detected there. Since then, the new strain has been found elsewhere in the world and its presence has been confirmed in the US.
The U.S. requirement comes at a difficult time for the aviation industry and international travelers facing divergent test protocols and quarantine requirements around the world, including public health advice urging people to stay home.
U.S. airlines have expressed support for the new requirement, but argued that completed test protocols should take the place of travel restrictions and quarantines to reduce the spread of Covid-19.