Flights to the USA: Compulsory test but still no quarantine
As of Tuesday, all passengers taking a plane to the United States must show a negative Covid-19 test result no more than 72 hours before the flight. But the quarantine desired by the CDC and President Joe Biden has still not been imposed on the arrival of international flights.
If the USA reinstated on January 25, 2021 the flight restrictions from the Schengen area, the United Kingdom and Brazil (lifted by the previous administration during its last hours), and now from South Africa, a new health measure is imposed on travelers from January 26, 2021. Passengers must be tested before leaving for the United States, as requested and obtained by the CDC. Wearing a mask is also mandatory on all planes and at all airports across the country, as Joe Biden decreed upon taking office.
On the other hand, quarantine after arrival from the international in American airports is still not compulsory, but recommended by the CDC (and the new President): it is “recommended to travelers to be tested three to five days later. travel, and stay home or hotel to quarantine for seven days after travel, regardless of test results, ”the CDC says. And if you don’t get tested after the trip, “it’s safer” to stay home for 10 days. According to USA Today, the executive order signed by Joe Biden only states that travelers arriving in the United States are “required to comply with other applicable CDC guidelines regarding international travel, including recommended periods of self-quarantine or self-isolation after entering the United States ”.
Remember that these measures apply to everyone, including American citizens, and that vaccination is no escape from compulsory testing; only people who have already contracted the coronavirus in the past three months and who are cured (supporting evidence) can be exempted.
American Airlines, for example, extended the use of its VeriFly application over the weekend to all of its international routes to the US. “We are committed to protecting the health and safety of our customers and our team members. This requirement will provide an additional level of travel protection. We support the implementation of the global program that requires COVID-19 testing for everyone traveling to the United States, ”she said in a statement.