CDC will tighten Covid testing requirement for international arrivals

Amid concerns about the omicron variant of Covid-19, the CDC plans to tighten its testing requirement for arriving international travelers.

The CDC will require fully vaccinated travelers to produce a negative result from a Covid-19 viral test taken within 24 hours before departure to the U.S.

President Joe Biden on Dec. 2 is expected to provide information on the implementation date.

The U.S. currently requires international arrivals to conduct a viral test within three days of departure.

The CDC will continue to recommend that all travelers take a Covid-19 viral test three to five days after arrival. 

In a White House briefing on Tuesday, CDC director Rochelle Wolensky said the CDC also is expanding surveillance for XpresCheck, its airport Covid testing operation, at New York JFK, San Francisco, Atlanta and Newark airports.

“This program allows for increased Covid testing for specific international arrivals, increasing our capacity to identify those with Covid-19 on arrival to the U.S.,” Wolensky said.

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