CDC says passengers from the UK should take a look at destructive by way of both a PCR or antigen take a look at inside 72 hours of departure.
The USA would require all airline passengers arriving from the UK to check destructive for COVID-19 inside 72 hours of departure beginning on Monday amid considerations a couple of new coronavirus variant which may be extra transmissible.
The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) mentioned in an announcement that each one airline passengers arriving from the UK should take a look at destructive as a way to fly to the US. The choice was a turnaround after the Trump administration informed US airways on Tuesday it was not planning to require any testing for arriving UK passengers.
It follows the emergence of a extremely infectious new coronavirus variant in Britain that has prompted many international locations to close their borders to travellers from there.
The British Embassy in Washington didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark late on Thursday.
Earlier on Thursday, United Airways and Delta Air Strains mentioned they have been requiring all passengers on flights from the UK to america to current a destructive COVID-19 take a look at taken inside 72 hours of departure.
The CDC mentioned late on Thursday passengers should take a look at destructive by way of both a PCR or antigen take a look at.
The CDC mentioned “viruses always change via mutation, and preliminary evaluation within the UK means that this new variant could also be as much as 70 % extra transmissible than beforehand circulating variants”.
The CDC famous that in March, President Donald Trump suspended entry of almost all overseas nationals who visited the UK up to now 14 days, which has decreased air journey to the US from Britain by about 90 %.
Underneath the brand new coverage, passengers departing from the UK for america should present written documentation of their laboratory take a look at end result (in exhausting copy or digital) to the airline, the CDC mentioned. Airways should verify destructive take a look at outcomes for all passengers earlier than they board.
If passengers select to not take a take a look at, the airline should deny boarding.
The CDC mentioned the order will likely be signed on Friday and is efficient Monday.
Delta’s coverage, expanded from its resolution on Monday to require the screenings on UK flights to New York’s JFK Airport, is efficient December 24, whereas United’s requirement begins on December 28.
On Monday, the three airways that fly from London to JFK – Delta, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic – agreed to a request from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo that they display passengers from Britain.
US airways have already drastically scaled again flying to the UK, in addition to the remainder of Europe.