U.S. to drop COVID testing requirement for international travelers flying to the U.S.

The Biden administration will soon eliminate the requirement that U.S.-bound air travelers present a negative COVID-19 test before departure, according to a senior administration official. 

The elimination of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s requirement will go into effect Sunday, June 12, at 12:01 a.m. The official stressed that the requirement could be reinstated if necessary. CNN first reported the policy change. 

The senior administration official said the CDC made the determination based on science and data that this requirement is no longer necessary at this time. The CDC will do a reassessment of the decision in 90 days. The official pointed out this move is possible because of advancements in treatments and vaccines. 

The CDC still recommends COVID-19 testing before any kind of air travel. 

According to the World Health Organization, the number of new weekly COVID-19 cases has continued to decline since its peak in January 2022, as has the number of new weekly deaths. Still, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warns that there isn’t enough testing globally, and vaccination rates are particularly low in low-income countries.