The CDC test requirements for UK travelers are like ‘a wire fence to keep out mosquitoes’, experts say

The CDC test requirements for UK travelers are like ‘a wire fence to keep out mosquitoes’, experts say

by

As of Monday in the UK, passengers must have a negative Covid-19 test within three days of boarding a flight to the United States.

“Today, President Trump is taking another step to protect the health of the American people,” according to the statement.

Here's what's worrying about the coronavirus variant

But, according to researchers on the CDC’s Covid-19 response team, testing three days before a flight may not work much – reducing the risk of spreading the virus by just 5 to 9%.

Dr. Paul Offit, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Pennsylvania, said the new test requirement “is like placing a wire fence to keep out a mosquito.”
The CDC order recognizes that “the test does not eliminate all risks”, but when combined with other measures such as self-monitoring of symptoms, masks and distance, “they can make travel safer”.

Covid-19 tests often do not detect recent infections, so someone can have a negative test and actually be infected because they are not releasing enough viruses to be detected.

Researchers think 'hundreds' of people in the U.S. may have a new strain of UK coronavirus

“Testing 72 hours before a flight will leave many people lost,” said Dr. Peter Hotez, an infectious disease specialist at Baylor College of Medicine, who pointed out that the new variant appeared in the UK three months ago and is probably already U.S.

On the other hand, testing on departure day can be more effective, reducing the risk of transmission by 37 to 61%, according to the November report by CDC scientists, which is based on mathematical modeling and has not been peer-reviewed .

Health officials are eager to reduce the spread of the UK variant, which appears to transmit more easily than other strains of coronavirus.

The CDC did not respond to requests for comment on this story.

.Source