American coronavirus: CDC requires a negative Covid-19 test for all passengers traveling from the UK to the US

by

Passengers must undergo a negative PCR or antigen test within 72 hours of boarding on their flight from the UK to the US. Passengers are also required to provide documentation of their laboratory results, either on paper or electronically.

Airlines are required to confirm test results before the flight and passengers are not allowed to board if they refuse a test or do not provide documentation.

The warrant is in response to a new coronavirus variant that is said to have originated in the UK and may be more transmissible. Since the discovery of the variant, more than 40 countries have restricted travel from the UK and in some cases also travel from other countries that have documented cases with the variant.
Genetics experts are concerned that coronavirus vaccines may not work as well against the UK variety

“On March 14, President Trump issued a presidential proclamation to suspend the entry of foreigners who have visited the UK in the past 14 days,” the CDC said in a statement. “This has reduced air travel to the US from the UK by approximately 90%. This additional testing requirement will strengthen our protections of the US public to improve their health and safety and ensure responsible international travel.”

The agency said the order will be signed Friday and go into effect Monday.

Genetics experts have expressed preliminary concerns that the Covid-19 vaccines may be less effective against this new variant. Pfizer and Moderna are testing their vaccines to see if they work against the new variant.

The British coronavirus variant has not been identified through genetic sequencing in the US, the CDC said Tuesday. But that may be because the US surveillance system is not catching it.

“It could be in the United States, and we may not have discovered it yet,” Deputy Secretary of Health, Admiral Brett Giroir said Monday.

CNN’s Elizabeth Cohen contributed to this report.

.Source