The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was behind a policy change that requires nearly everybody flying into the United States to bring a negative COVID-19 test result with them; that went into effect on Tuesday. Now, the organization is considering imposing similar requirements upon those who are going to be flying domestically.
This development is according to Dr. Marty Cetron, the organization’s director for the Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, who said on Tuesday that “we’re actively looking at” making those changes to the domestic travel scene in the United States. He added that the “dramatic evolution and increase in both testing platforms and testing capacity” have contributed to their thought process.
This was presumably at least partially a result of President Joe Biden having previously asked various agencies to make specific recommendations related to limiting the crossing of state borders.
Unsurprisingly, a number of airline officials are concerned about this proposal as airline travel numbers have dropped precipitously over the past year, and this, if it was to be put into place, could only harm their industry’s recovery efforts.
These restrictions apply to passengers who are 2 years of age and older. Specifically, they must have taken a COVID-19 antigen test within three days of departing for the U.S. and have a negative test result from that to show officials, including at the departure airport, or can provide proof of having had COVID-19 within the past three months and having since recovered from it.
One benefit to this international change being implemented locally, if that does occur, is that limited testing capacity should not be the issue that it has proven to be with the former change. As a result of some travelers voicing concerns that they will not be able to secure the test necessary due to limited testing availability where they are, several airlines had sought waivers to the requirements, which were refused.
Otherwise, exemptions are only being provided “on an extremely limited basis,” such as when someone’s life or physical safety is in danger, and that precludes being able to get tested before traveling.
Ian Brownlee, the CDC’s acting assistant secretary of state, said that his organization’s main message there was to cause U.S. citizens to seriously reconsider traveling abroad as “it’s going to be harder to come home for a while.”
Although no requirements are currently being made of travelers after entering the U.S., the CDC does recommend that they self-quarantine for 10 days or get tested again 3-5 days after arriving and self-quarantine for seven days. There are also no U.S.-focused testing requirements for those leaving the country although passengers should research what may be required by places they are traveling to.