The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
When will the US drop its testing rules?
The United States is one of the few major holiday destinations that still requires even vaccinated travellers to provide evidence of a negative Covid test, taken within 24 hours of departure. And with UK Covid rates remaining stubbornly high, holidaymakers continue to be faced with huge anxiety about whether their trips will go ahead, just one day before they jet off.
Some industry experts believe that demand for US holidays is being suppressed due to the country’s insistence of persevering with strict testing rules.
“I’m seeing destinations that continue to keep Covid testing measures in place lose traveller market share to other destinations,” says Paul Charles, founder of travel consultancy the PC Agency. “The US is not benefiting from the rebound in travel as much as other countries because of the testing rules for entry.”
There is hope that the measure could soon end. Jason Liberty, chief executive of cruise company the Royal Caribbean Group, recently revealed in a press conference that sources within the Biden administration say plans are being drawn up to drop testing rules. Just last week, however, Jeff Zients, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, told a press briefing: “There are no plans to change the international travel requirements at this point.”
Still, pressure from airlines is continuing to grow. Last month, Airlines for America, an industry lobbying group that counts all major US carriers among its members, wrote to the government calling for pre-departure testing and mask rules to be scrapped. The group said the measures were “no longer aligned with the realities of the current epidemiological environment” and pointed out that the UK, Canada and the EU have all relaxed their testing rules.
A key date is April 18, when the federal mask mandate for transport is set to expire. Some, such as Paul Charles, suggest we could also see a change to international testing rules announced on that day – and it is worth noting that while the measure might not be scrapped, there could be a loosening of requirements, such as a longer timeframe in which to take the test. When the US first reopened to international travellers, PCR tests could be taken 72 hours prior to departure – this was tightened to 24 hours with the emergence of the omicron variant.
Covid cases in the US remain low after a significant surge at the end of last year, but rates have recently started to increase and are up three per cent on two weeks ago. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to the President, last week called the rise “concerning” and said that officials were monitoring the situation “very, very carefully”. This may put a dampener on any plans for the imminent removal of testing, but if it continues with the policy, the US may find itself abandoned by holidaymakers.
THE CURRENT US COVID RULES Travellers to the US must be fully vaccinated. In addition, they must show evidence of a negative Covid test – either a rapid antigen or PCR – taken no more than one day before travel. Children aged 17 and under are exempt from the vaccination requirement. Children under two do not need to take a predeparture test. Full requirements for pre-travel testing can be found on the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website (cdc.gov). Wearing a face mask is required on public transport travelling into, within, or out of the United States and inside airports (information correct at time of going to press).