Vacationers to the US from China, Hong Kong and Macau will quickly be required to indicate a damaging check for COVID-19 earlier than boarding their flights to the states, the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention mentioned Wednesday. The requirement, which kicks in as of Jan. 5, is supposed to assist forestall a brand new variant of the coronavirus from making its means into the US as China experiences a surge in COVID instances.
“Pre-departure testing and the requirement to indicate a damaging check end result has been proven to lower the variety of contaminated passengers boarding airplanes, and it’ll assist to sluggish the unfold of the virus as we work to determine and perceive any potential new variants which will emerge,” the CDC mentioned in a launch.
Starting at 12:01 a.m. ET on Jan. 5, passengers 2 years previous and up might want to get a check not more than two days earlier than departure. The rule applies to passengers no matter nationality and vaccination standing. Passengers who examined optimistic greater than 10 days earlier than their flight can present proof of restoration from COVID as a substitute of a damaging check end result.
The restriction applies to direct flights to the US. It additionally applies to passengers flying to the US from Incheon Worldwide Airport, Toronto Pearson Worldwide Airport and Vancouver Worldwide Airport, if they have been within the Individuals’s Republic of China within the final 10 days not more than 2 days previous to their departure to the states.
“These three transit hubs cowl the overwhelming majority of passengers with journey originating within the PRC and the Particular Administrative Areas,” the CDC mentioned, referring to Hong Kong and Macau.
In early December, China eased its “zero COVID” restrictions in response to mass avenue protests within the nation. Since then, a surge of instances in China has been accompanied by stories of hospital hallways filled with sick sufferers, outnumbered medical employees working whereas sick, and a scarcity of transparency in regards to the outbreak.
“Decreased testing and case reporting within the PRC and minimal sharing of viral genomic sequence knowledge may delay the identification of latest variants of concern in the event that they come up,” the CDC mentioned in its launch.
The data contained on this article is for instructional and informational functions solely and isn’t meant as well being or medical recommendation. All the time seek the advice of a doctor or different certified well being supplier concerning any questions you might have a couple of medical situation or well being aims.
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