The US no longer requires air travelers to provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test before entering the country from abroad.
Officials said they would drop the requirement due to the “tremendous progress” the country has made in fighting the virus.
The travel industry has been pushing for an end to the policy, which it says has deterred bookings as families fear being stranded abroad.
The change will take effect on Sunday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will reevaluate the guideline in 90 days. The government said it would “not hesitate to act” to reintroduce the rule if new variants lead officials to believe it is necessary.
“We are able to take this step because of the tremendous strides we’ve made in our fight against the virus: we’ve made life-saving vaccines and treatments widely available, and these tools work to prevent serious illness and death and are effective against it widespread variants circulating in the US and around the world,” a senior official told reporters.
The United States introduced rules last year that require air travelers to test negative. The policy did not apply to land crossings.
The travel industry, which has seen a surge in demand amid concerns over the pandemic, said the US has lagged behind other countries in reassessing policies.
The UK lifted all Covid-19 testing requirements for travel in March, as did Canada. Italy ended its testing requirements this month.
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