CDC to rescind order requiring negative COVID test prior to flight departures

The skies are getting friendlier – or at least less restrictive – as the COVID-19 pandemic wanes.

The order issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requiring persons to show a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery from the infection before boarding a flight to the United States, will be rescinded, effective as of 12:01 a.m., EDT on Monday June 12.

This means that starting at that time, air passengers will not need to get tested and show the COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 prior to boarding a flight to the U.S.

The COVID-19 pandemic has now shifted to a new phase, due to the widespread uptake of highly effective COVID-19 vaccines, the availability of effective therapeutics, and the accrual of high rates of vaccine- and infection-induced immunity at the population level in the United States.

Each of these measures has contributed to lower risk of severe disease and death across the United States. As a result, this requirement which was needed at an earlier stage in the pandemic may be withdrawn.

The CDC continues to recommend that those travelers boarding a flight to the U.S. get tested for current infection with a viral test as close to the time of departure as possible (no more than 3 days) and not travel if they are sick.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will continue to evaluate the latest science and state of the pandemic and will reassess the need for a testing requirement if the situation changes.

The CDC will communicate any updates publicly if and/or when they change.