WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Biden administration is “actively seeking” to extend mandatory testing of COVID-19 to passengers on U.S. domestic flights, a senior Center for Disease Control and Prevention official said Tuesday.
In a call with reporters, Dr. Marty Cetron, director of the CDC’s Global Migration and Quarantine Division, was asked about whether new national travel testing requirements could be employed. Cetron responded that there were “ongoing conversations and examining what the types and locations of the tests might be … We are actively studying this.”
Last week, President Joe Biden directed U.S. agencies to make recommendations for “imposing additional public health measures for domestic travel” and considering new requirements for people crossing land borders. Reuters reported Friday that administration officials said it could include the need for negative COVID-19 testing before flying nationwide.
“We realize that there has been a dramatic evolution and increase in both test platforms and test capacity. I think this is a really important part of our toolkit to fight this pandemic, ”Cetron said.
On Tuesday, the new CDC rules came into force that require almost all international air travelers aged 2 and over to submit a negative coronavirus test performed within three calendar days of the trip or a COVID-19 recovery test. to enter the United States.
In discussions with airline officials, the CDC has said it is also considering the need for national testing. Some airline officials worry that these requirements could reduce the already weak demand for air travel.
The CDC said Sunday it would not grant exemptions to exempt travelers from some countries with limited testing capacity. Numerous American airlines had called for waivers.
Acting Deputy Secretary of State Ian Brownlee told reporters that CDC “was not issuing federal quarantine orders at this time,” but recommended quarantining for seven days after returning from a trip and obtaining COVID- tests. 19 after arrival.
Brownlee said the “main message for American citizens considering traveling abroad remains the same: seriously reconsider the possibility of going abroad right now. If you’re abroad now, it will be more difficult to return home for a while ”.
Report by David Shepardson, edited by Rosalba O’Brien