The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has ordered that all travelers flying to the U.S. from abroad will have to show proof of negative Covid-19 tests before boarding their flight starting Jan. 26. The CDC said preflight testing is necessary as Covid-19 cases continue to soar and new, more contagious strains of the virus emerge around the world.
Here is what you need to know about the new protocols before you take a trip.
1. Who does it affect?
The order applies to everyone traveling to the U.S. on international flights, including U.S. citizens. You will need to show negative test results even if you are flying on a private jet or charter flight. There are exceptions for children under age 2, airline crews, and federal law-enforcement agents and members of the military traveling for duty.
2. What countries are covered?
All of them. Passengers need to show proof of a negative test when traveling to the U.S. from any country, including Mexico and the Caribbean. Airlines can seek temporary waivers for certain countries where testing supplies are inadequate, but carriers haven’t yet said which countries might fall into this category.
The universal testing requirement goes into effect Jan. 26. People arriving from the U.K. already have been subject to similar testing requirements that went into effect in December following the emergence of a new coronavirus strain there.
