The Biden government has lifted its requirement for international air travelers to the United States to take the COVID-19 test within a day before boarding their flights, easing one of the last remaining government mandates to curb the spread of the coronavirus. A senior government official said Friday that the mandate would end on Sunday at 12:01 p.m. EDT, adding that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention deemed it no longer necessary. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity for the preview of the official announcement, said the service would review the need for a test requirement every 90 days and that it could be remedied if a worrying new variant arises. The Biden government enforced the testing requirement last year as it moved away from restrictions banning unnecessary travel from dozens of countries – most notably Europe, China, Brazil, South Africa, India and Iran – and instead focused on classifying individuals because of the risk they pose to others. It was combined with the requirement that foreign, nonimmigrant adults traveling to the United States be fully vaccinated, with only a few exceptions. The original order allowed those who had been fully vaccinated to test negative within three days of the trip, while unvaccinated individuals had to take a test within one day of the trip. In November, as the highly contagious Omicron variant swept the world, the Biden administration tightened the requirement and required all travelers, regardless of vaccination status, to take a test within a day of traveling to the United States. Airlines and travel companies have been pushing management for months to eliminate the testing requirement, saying it discourages people from booking international travel because they could be barred from traveling abroad if they catch the virus while traveling. Roger Dow, president of the US Travel Association, called the lifting of the test rule “another huge step forward in the recovery of incoming air travel and the return of international travel to the United States.” While domestic travel to the US has returned to near pre-pandemic levels, international travel – which is very lucrative for airlines – has continued to lag behind. In May, international air travel in the US remained 24% below 2019 levels, with a drop between both US and foreign nationals, according to the Airlines for America trade group. Many other countries have lifted the testing requirements for fully vaccinated and empowered travelers in an effort to increase tourism. In February, travel groups claimed that the testing requirement was outdated due to the high number of micron cases already in each state, higher vaccination rates and new treatments for the virus. “I am pleased that the CDC has suspended the burdensome requirement for coronavirus testing for international travelers and will continue to do what I can to support the strong recovery of our hospitality industry,” said Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev. a statement. The requirement for a negative COVID-19 pre-flight test in the US dates back to January 2021. It is the most visible remaining travel restriction in the US at the time of the pandemic. In April, a federal judge in Florida rejected a requirement that passengers on airplanes and public transportation wear masks, saying the CDC had exceeded its authority. The Biden government is appealing the decision, saying it is intended to protect the CDC’s ability to respond to future health emergencies. Despite the termination of the test requirement, the CDC will continue to recommend that COVID-19 be tested prior to each air trip as a safety precaution, according to the senior official. Travelers found creative ways to break the rule. This spring, several Canadian teams in the National Hockey League flew to cities near the border and then took buses to the United States to avoid the risk of losing positive players. —— Dallas-based AP writer David Koenig contributed to this report.
