The Biden administration is expected to announce on Friday that the Centers for Disease Control and prevention in the US will be lifting its negative COVID-19 testing requirement for international travelers entering the US.
According to CNN, a senior administration official said that this change will go into effect at midnight on Sunday.
The official said that the CDC would be lifting the requirement following months of pushback from the travel industry, who deemed the requirement to no longer be necessary "based on the science and data."
The CDC will reassess its decision to lift the requirement in 90 days, and could reinstate it if the risk presents itself. This measure has been in place since January of 2021.
CNN reported, "The official said the Biden administration plans to work with airlines to ensure a smooth transition with the change, but it will likely be a welcome move for most in the industry."
Industry officials have been critical of the requirement, with these criticisms increasing in recent weeks, with cases trending downwards since the winter spike of the omicron variant.
Airlines for America chief Nick Calio said the requirement was having a chilling effect on the industry, with has been struggling with the current state of the economy.
Travel industry officials, as well as some scientific experts, have argued that the policy has been out of date for months, with some lawmakers also advocating for the requirements’ removal.
Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto said, "I'm glad CDC suspended the burdensome coronavirus testing requirement for international travelers, and I'll continue to do all I can to support the strong recovery of our hospitality industry."
Countries like Iceland and Germany have already dropped their international COVID-19 testing restrictions.
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