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(CNN) – Many travelers in the United States and abroad were waiting for it. The travel industry has been pushing for this. And Sunday ends with the requirement of travelers to give negative Covid-19 before entering the US.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cited a “new phase” of the pandemic in a statement confirming the rule change.
“The widespread adoption of highly effective Covid-19 vaccines, the availability of effective therapies, and the build-up of high levels of vaccine-induced immunity and population-level infections in the United States” have helped reduce the risk. of serious illness and death, the agency said.
Browsing the ever-changing entry requirements around the world has been a source of great confusion for travelers from all over the world.
Here’s what we know about how the new policy will affect arrivals in the United States:
When will the pre-trip test requirement be lifted?
The requirement ends on Sunday, June 12 at 12:01 ET.
This means that flights departing from the United States from a foreign country at this time or later must no longer show a negative test result or recovery documentation during the last 90 days of Covid-19.
Departures before this time will require testing.
Is the decision final?
Like many measures aimed at Covid-19, the rules are subject to change.
“The CDC continues to assess the latest science and the state of the pandemic and will reassess the need for a test requirement if the situation changes,” the agency said in a statement.
A senior Biden administration official told CNN on Friday that the CDC will re-evaluate its decision in 90 days.
Should Foreigners Arriving in the US Still Be Vaccinated?
Yes. The vaccination requirement for foreigners has not changed.
Children under the age of 17 are not required to be vaccinated.
What about unvaccinated Americans?
The end of the test requirement applies to all travelers who previously had to submit negative test results, and vaccination requirements for entry into the United States do not apply to U.S. citizens.
What is the CDC’s recommendation for travel?
The CDC still recommends that travelers stay up to date on vaccines and infection testing before and after the trip and after any known exposure to someone with Covid-19.
The CDC also continues to recommend the use of masks in indoor public transportation environments. Masks are no longer needed.
Are arrivals at the land border and ferry ports affected by the rule change?
No. The rule change applies to air travel.
No Covid-19 tests were required to enter via a land or ferry port. Non-US travelers 18 years of age or older must be fully vaccinated to enter the United States.
What does Dr. Leana Wen, a CNN medical analyst, say?
There were good reasons to have the test requirements at other times during the pandemic, said Dr. Leana Wen, a CNN medical analyst, but those reasons no longer apply.
“Having the testing requirement isn’t doing much, if anything, to keep the coronavirus out of the U.S., and instead it’s creating a major barrier for people who want to travel abroad and back,” Wen said in a mail. electronic.
“Of course, if people have symptoms or exposure while traveling, they should be tested and, if they test positive, follow CDC isolation guidelines.” CNN’s Elizabeth Cohen and Kaitlan Collins contributed to this report.
Top image: Madrid-Barajas Airport (Emilio Parra Doiztua / Bloomberg / Getty Images)