WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Biden government is “actively seeking” to expand mandatory testing of COVID-19 for travelers on domestic flights in the United States, a senior official at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday.
In a call to reporters, Dr. Marty Cetron, director of the CDC’s Global Migration and Quarantine Division, was asked whether new domestic travel testing requirements could be employed. Cetron replied that there were “conversations going on and analyzing what the types and locations of the tests would be … We are actively looking for that.”
Last week, President Joe Biden instructed US agencies to make recommendations to “impose additional public health measures on domestic travel” and to consider new requirements for people crossing land borders. Reuters reported on Friday that government officials said this could include the requirement for negative COVID-19 tests before flying to the domestic market.
“We realized that there was a dramatic evolution and increase in test platforms and test capacity. I think this is a really important part of our toolkit to fight this pandemic, ”said Cetron.
On Tuesday, the new CDC rules went into effect requiring that almost all international travelers aged 2 years and over have a negative coronavirus test done within three calendar days of travel or proof of recovery from COVID-19 to enter the U.S.
In discussions with airline officials, the CDC said it is considering the need for domestic testing as well. Some airline executives fear that such requirements could reduce the already weak demand for air travel.
The CDC said on Sunday that it will not grant exemptions to exempt travelers from some countries with limited testing capacity. Numerous US airlines have requested exemptions.
Acting Deputy Secretary of State Ian Brownlee told reporters that the CDC “was not currently issuing federal quarantine orders” but recommends self-quarantine for seven days after returning from a trip and taking the COVID tests -19 after arrival.
Brownlee said that “the main message for American citizens who consider traveling abroad remains the same: seriously reconsider the possibility of traveling abroad now. If you are abroad now, it will be more difficult to return home for a while. “
Reporting by David Shepardson, edited by Rosalba O’Brien