You Must Test Negative for COVID Before Flying to the USA
In connection with the growing number of cases COVID-19 in the United States and abroad is now really no good reason for overseas travel for pleasure. But if you have an unavoidable need to travel to another country, you will need to prove that you do not have COVID before you return. The Centers for Disease Control has introduced a new policy that anyone returning to the United States from overseas must provide a negative COVID test (or proof of recovery from the virus) before boarding a plane.
The policy takes effect January 26 and makes it entirely the responsibility of airlines to refuse boarding to passengers who do not or do not meet the requirements.
PCR tests or confirmation of recovery required
According to the CDC ruling, anyone traveling to the United States from overseas must provide proof of a negative test result no more than three days before departure. If the traveler has tested positive for the virus in the past three months, they must provide proof of recovery from a licensed healthcare professional or healthcare professional.
Antibody tests do not follow CDC guidelines and the ad does not mention rapid tests. This is probably the best way to get a PCR smear if you need to travel abroad. If a traveler fails to submit a negative test result within the required time frame, the airline has the right to deny that traveler access to the aircraft under the CDC.
To demonstrate confirmation of your test results, CDC recommends that you bring “a paper or electronic copy of your test results for review by the airline prior to boarding and for possible review by public health officials after your arrival in the United States.”
If you provide proof of recovery from COVID, the CDC requires travelers to follow these guidelines:
Instead, you can travel with documentation of your positive virus test results and a letter from your healthcare provider or public health official stating that you have received travel authorization. A positive test result and a letter are collectively referred to as “recovery documentation”.
If you test positive before your return flight, expect an impromptu quarantine at your vacation destination. Airlines are unlikely to reimburse you for your missed flight due to a positive test result. The rules apply to “all air passengers 2 years of age and older traveling to the United States, including US citizens and permanent US residents,” the agency said.
Why travel abroad right now?
It is understood that international travel has dropped dramatically during the pandemic. Americans are still barred from entering much of Europe, and many of the destinations currently open to US travelers are in the Caribbean, Mexico, South and Central America, and Africa – all of which impose their own travel restrictions from – for the coronavirus. …
On December 28, the CDC began requiring travelers from the United Kingdom to the United States to test negative for coronavirus, although the directive now applies to anyone traveling to those states.
Where do you get tested in a foreign country?
No matter where you are, you will need to find a legitimate medical clinic with access to a supportive laboratory that will provide reliable results so you can make sure you are following the recommendations for your trip.
As USA Today recommends, airlines and travel tips can probably help you in this endeavor:
In the coming weeks, seek advice from airlines, hotels, travel agencies and healthcare providers. Travelers to Hawaii must submit a negative test to enter the state and bypass mandatory quarantines, and airline and tourism officials have provided details on testing options. American Airlines said it would not conduct tests for passengers.
People who have been vaccinated still need to show test results.
Given the early stages of the U.S. vaccination program, most people will not be vaccinated against COVID for a while. But even if you’ve been vaccinated, the CDC still wants you to get tested if you return from overseas.
There is no timetable for when these requirements can be lifted, but you can expect them to remain in place as long as the pandemic continues to hit the country (and the world).