INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The United States will no longer require air travellers to have proof of a negative Covid-19 test before entering the country from
virus.The travel industry has been pushing for an end to the policy, which they say has deterred bookings, as families fear getting stranded
abroad.The change comes into effect on Sunday.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will re-evaluate the policy in 90 days
and treatments widely available and these tools are working to prevent serious illness and death, and are effective against the prevalent
test negative within three days of their flight - or provide proof of recent recovery from the virus - in January 2021.US President Joe
Biden tightened the policy to within one day of flying in December, as the Omicron variant pushed virus cases higher
The testing measure did not apply to land crossings.Most non-US citizens must still be vaccinated to travel to the country.The number of
Covid cases in the US has dropped sharply since January, though the figures had started to rise again in recent weeks before plateauing
Deaths remain much lower than during the height of the pandemic because of the impact of the vaccination programme.The travel sector, which
has seen demand surge as concerns about the pandemic wane, has said the US has lagged behind other countries in re-evaluating testing
policies.The UK removed all Covid-19 test requirements for travel in March, as did Canada
Italy ended its testing requirements this month.On Friday, Canada also said it would pause random Covid testing at airports for the rest of
Last November, it lifted restrictions on travellers from more than 30 countries, including the UK, after a more than 18-month ban.In April,
Travel Association, eliminating the test requirement is likely to bring an additional 5.4 million visitors to the US this year, boosting
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://adaderana.lk
