On May 6, Jen Psaki, then the White House press secretary, said she was not aware of a timeline for ending the testing requirement and that the administration would base its decision on a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation. This fact doesnt suggest any plans to drop U.S. vaccine requirements in the near future. For this reason she called the requirement hygiene theater., The testing requirement is not just annoying for travelers, its economically damaging, according to the U.S. Travel Association, a trade group. But the government shows no sign of getting rid of it. The proposal would continue to prohibit vaccine and mask requirements in schools, government, employment, or for travel. This includes U.S. citizens and noncitizens. The CDC order requiring persons to show a negative COVID-19 test result or */, Travelinglifestyle.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Copyright 2022 Traveling Lifestyle Network, LLC, Is Guadalajara Safe? We write in support of eliminating pre-departure COVID-19 testing for passengers traveling to the United States. February 28, 2023. In the United States, it has resulted in 103,374,329 confirmed cases with 1,119,560 all-time deaths, the most of any country, and the Although this is wonderful news for families and the tourism sector, 21 months of closure did not seem to be enough time for American airports to prepare for such a large influx of passengers all at once. The Biden administration will drop the Covid-19 testing requirement for inbound air travelers "We are able to take this step because of the tremendous progress weve made in our fight against the virus," the official told ABC News. How Times reporters cover politics. On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that it was going to lift the requirement on Sunday at 12:01 a.m. after officials determined that the widespread adoption of vaccines and treatments for Covid-19 no longer make it necessary. Only one person was willing to make a non-sarcastic case for the policy, which is that traveling with people who have tested negative is lower risk than traveling with those who havent. Testing was not the first travel limitation the United States had deployed. The vaccine requirement applies to adult non-citizen/resident visitors to the U.S., with some exceptions. Mark Jit, a professor of vaccine epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who has studied the effectiveness of travel requirements, said that this is what testing does well. As of today, visitors to the United States must present proof of a COVI-19 vaccination certificate to be allowed entry. The decision to drop testing comes six weeks after a federal judge blocked President Bidens plan to extend mandatory mask-wearing on planes, trains and other public transport on 18 April. Since President Joe Biden announced a plan to ship free COVID-19 tests in Jan. 2022, the US Post Office has delivered 737 million COVID tests to American homes. Chan School of Public Health, said that while the change could lead to some new infections in the United States, it would have a considerably smaller effect than other policy decisions, such as lifting mask mandates. American travelers had held off on overseas vacation plans because of the mandate, worried that they would be stuck in foreign countries if they discovered they were infected and would be forced to pay thousands of dollars in hotel fees and other expenses, he said. ET.. Sheinelle Jones, co-host of Todays third hour, provided an on-air update at the end of the shows 8 a.m. hour, saying, It has been an interesting morning for us.As we said, Savannah left early, she wasnt feeling great, so Passengers getting tested for Covid-19 at Londons Heathrow Airport. There is a huge financial and economic cost in keeping with the current testing requirement. Note: As testing availability may change quickly, the information below may not be 100% up-to-date. And if youre going to impose requirements then its incumbent to also articulate the off ramp. Hospitals arent overwhelmed. In December 2021, amid heightened concerns about the Omicron variant, the C.D.C. For example, if your flight is at 1pm on a Friday, you could board with a negative test that was taken any time on the prior Thursday.. This step is possible because of the progress weve made in our fight against Covid-19, Xavier Becerra, the health and human services secretary, said in a statement Friday evening, adding that the administration will not hesitate to reinstate a pre-departure testing requirement, if needed later.. I asked because it would be helpful to know, but you got all offended. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The Governor also wants to expand the sanctions on businesses by prohibiting employers from hiring or firing based on vaccine status or wearing a mask. Many other countries have lifted their testing requirements for fully vaccinated and boosted travelers in a bid to increase tourism. The CDC will order commercial airlines to collect information from U.S.-bound visitors including their phone number and email address to act as a public health surveillance system.. So while Times staff members may vote, they are not allowed to endorse or campaign for candidates or political causes. Now we dont have to worry, I can book a massage, go to a party, do whatever people do on vacation., Test to Return to the U.S. by Air Will Be Dropped, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/10/us/politics/us-testing-travel-mandate-covid.html. is using to determine whether testing is still necessary, an agency spokeswoman offered the vague explanation that it is looking at different indicators and evaluating all guidance and orders based on the latest science and state of the pandemic.. In less than three weeks, the Omicron variant already accounts for over 73% of the new infections in the U.S. said the CDC on Monday. It did not stop any variants or waves. As we move forward, said the President in a statement, we will continue to be guided by what the science and my medical team advises.. For Mr. Biden, the decision to drop the requirement is welcome news at a time when the administration is struggling on a series of fronts. No, the testing required to enter the U.S. was dropped in June 2022 for all travelers entering. Health officials stated last week that New York State will no longer mandate masks to be worn in healthcare facilities including hospitals and nursing homes as of last week. Sargassum In The Mexican Caribbean Expected To Double In 2023, Mexican Government Announces Official Start Date For The Mayan Train, Is ISRAEL Safe To Visit? Vaccination is not required for children under the age of 18, and it is not required for air travel from the mainland United States. Every Republican supported the legislation as well as seven Democrats. But so far, they havent provided an exact reopening date yet. Travelers walk through the junction of the east and west airport terminals on May 23, 2022, in Austin, Texas. Trying to pretend that it is over is destructive, ignorant, and hurts those least able to protect themselves.. A bipartisan group of representatives voted 227 to 201 Wednesday in support of a bill to end the requirement.