WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is lifting its requirement that international air travellers to the U.S. take a COVID-19 test within a day before boarding their flights. The mandate will expire on Sunday at 12:01 a.m. EDT. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will re-evaluate the need for the testing requirement every 90 days in case a new variant emerges.
The Biden administration put the testing requirement in place last year after it moved away from restrictions that banned non-essential travel from several dozen countries. In recent months, airline and tourism groups have been pressing the administration to eliminate the testing requirement, saying it’s discouraging people from booking international trips.
Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto said, “I’m glad CDC suspended the burdensome coronavirus testing requirement for international travellers, and I’ll continue to do all I can to support the strong recovery of our hospitality industry.”
