CDC Announces Requirement for Negative COVID-19 Testing for Air Passengers Entering the United States from the People’s Republic of China | CDC Online Newsroom

The CDC is asserting in the present day that it’ll implement a requirement for a adverse COVID-19 check or restoration documentation for air vacationers boarding flights from the Folks’s Republic of China (PRC) and Hong Kong and Macau Particular Administrative Areas to the US. . Because of the lack of enough and clear epidemiological and viral genomic sequence knowledge reported from the PRC, the CDC is asserting this step to gradual the unfold of COVID-19 in the US throughout the improve in COVID-19 circumstances within the PRC. These knowledge are vital to successfully monitor case progress and scale back the possibility of entry of a brand new variant of concern. The CDC will proceed to watch the state of affairs and regulate our method as wanted.

Variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus proceed to emerge in nations world wide. Nevertheless, diminished testing and case reporting within the PRC and minimal sharing of viral genomic sequence knowledge could delay the identification of recent variants of concern in the event that they emerge. Pre-departure testing and the requirement to indicate a adverse check end result have been proven to cut back the variety of contaminated passengers boarding, and it will assist gradual the unfold of the virus as we attempt to determine and perceive potential new variants. to look.

Beginning at 00:01 AM ET on January 5, all air vacationers aged two and over arriving from the PRC will probably be required to have a check (eg. PCR test or an antigen self-test (managed by a telehealth service or a licensed supplier and approved by the Meals and Drug Administration or the related nationwide authority) not more than 2 days previous to departure from PRC, Hong Kong or Macau and exhibiting a adverse check end result airline on departure.

• The requirement applies to those air vacationers no matter nationality and vaccination standing.
• This can even apply to individuals touring from the PRC by way of third nation transit and passengers connecting to their later locations by way of the US.
• Along with making use of this requirement to direct flights from the PRC, passengers transiting by Incheon Worldwide Airport, Toronto Pearson Worldwide Airport and Vancouver Worldwide Airport to the US will probably be required to offer a adverse COVID-19 check if discovered beforehand. Throughout the final 10 days within the PRC, not more than 2 days earlier than their departure to the US. These three hubs cowl the overwhelming majority of passengers whose journeys come from the PRC and Particular Administrative Areas. We’ll proceed to watch journey patterns, regulate our method as wanted, and maintain People knowledgeable in a well timed method.
• Passengers who check optimistic greater than 10 days earlier than the flight can current a restoration from COVID-19 as a substitute of a adverse check end result.
• Airways should verify a adverse COVID-19 check end result or restoration paperwork for all passengers previous to boarding, or deny the passenger boarding.

The CDC can be increasing its Traveler-based Genomic Surveillance program (TGS), a voluntary program that acts as an early warning system to detect and characterize new and uncommon variants of the virus that causes COVID-19. TGS collects nameless nostril swabs from incoming worldwide passengers on chosen flights at main US worldwide airports. This system assessments for the presence of the COVID-19 virus, and if detected, this system sequences the genome of the virus to determine new variants. This system expands by including further airports (Los Angeles and Seattle); this brings the entire variety of airports from at the very least 30 nations in all World Well being Group (WHO) areas to seven and the variety of weekly flights to about 500. This contains roughly 290 weekly flights from the PRC and surrounding areas.

TGS has confirmed to beat the gaps in world SARS-CoV-2 variant surveillance which have arisen as many nations have diminished or stopped testing and sequencing. Within the first weeks of the Omicron enhance, TGS detected two Omicron subvariables, BA.2 and BA.3, and reported them to the worldwide database weeks earlier than they have been reported elsewhere, demonstrating that this system was capable of detect variants early.

When layered with current CDC suggestions, akin to masking throughout journey, self-monitoring signs, and testing for 3 days after arriving from worldwide journey, it is going to assist make journey safer, more healthy and extra accountable by decreasing the unfold on airplanes. , at airports and locations, and to be alert to potential variants that come up. With the enlargement of TGS, our new testing coverage will assist shield the well being and security of passengers and the American neighborhood.

The CDC additionally continues to work with WHO and companion nations to enhance sequencing capability and construct world capability to detect new variants.

These directions will take impact on January 5, 2023 at 12:01 AM ET. Extra data will probably be offered by the CDC within the coming days. Verify for an inventory of authoritative assessments Here.