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Things are changing by the day and even by the hour, but here’s what we know about the US travel rules effective as of Monday:
Are testing rules for entry into the US changing?
Yes, all inbound international travelers are now required to test within one day of departure for the United States starting Monday.
President Joe Biden speaks about the Omicron variant during a visit to the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, on Thursday.
Evan Vucci/AP
Documentation of having recovered from Covid-19 in the past 90 days is also accepted.
There is still a requirement for foreign travelers arriving in the United States to be fully vaccinated.
Before the new rule went into effect, all vaccinated travelers were required to test within three days of their departure.
Unvaccinated Americans and legal permanent residents are allowed to enter the country with a test taken within one day of departing for the United States. The new rule makes the testing time frame one day for everyone.
Biden also announced that the federal mask mandate requiring travelers to wear masks in airports, on planes and on other modes of public transportation such as trains and buses has been extended through March 18.
A Covid-19 test center operates inside the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport on December 1.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
Does ‘one day’ mean 24 hours?
Acceptance of the test does not depend on the time of the flight or the time of day the test sample was taken.
“For example, if your flight is at 1 p.m. on a Friday, you could board with a negative test that was taken any time on the prior Thursday,” the CDC says on its website.
Does the testing requirement apply to children?
Yes, it applies to all air passenger 2 years or older flying into the United States.
Does it apply to land border and seaport arrivals?
No, the requirement is just for air travelers.
Is there a post-arrival testing or quarantine requirement?
There is not. “We’re not announcing any steps on post-arrival testing and quarantine,” a senior administration official said in a press briefing on December 1.
What countries fall under the new US travel ban?
The travel bans announced on November 26 bar entry into the US of noncitizens coming from eight countries in southern Africa. They are Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Citizens of those nations and citizens of other nations who have been traveling there in the past 14 days are currently not allowed entry into the United States.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on Sunday that the travel ban is being reevaluated every day, and the US government is aware of the hardship it has placed on those countries.
Fauci, Biden’s chief medical adviser, said the ban was put in place when the US was “in the dark” and just learning about a surge in cases in South Africa because of the Omicron variant; the ban was meant to provide time to assess the situation.
Can US citizens already in those nations return?
Yes they can.
A negative Covid-19 test taken within one day of their departure for the US is required.
Can US citizens still travel to the banned nations?
Technically, yes.
At least two US carriers are still flying back and forth from South Africa, for example. Delta Air Lines is still offering Atlanta-Johannesburg service, and United Airlines is still offering Newark-Johannesburg service.
United Airlines is also resuming nonstop service between Newark and Cape Town, according to a news release from South African Tourism. The release also said, “we would like to emphasize that our country remains open for all those travelers who wish to visit.”
An American family stuck in Johannesburg, South Africa, amid new Covid-19 travel restrictions talk about their experience in trying to get back home.
Whether it’s advisable to go is another matter. The CDC advises against it.
You might also encounter new travel barriers. For instance, Zimbabwe imposed a lockdown and mandatory quarantine on Tuesday, November 30, for travelers, state-run news agency NewZiana reported.
What is the US doing to detect the virus?
The CDC has also recently directed airlines carrying passengers that have been to certain southern African nations to share those passengers’ contact information with the agency.
CNN Travel will update this article as new information becomes available and rules change. CNN’s Wayne Chang, Kaitlan Collins, Jamie Gumbrecht, Jacqueline Howard, Pete Muntean, Megan Vazquez and Greg Wallace contributed to this report.
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/new-us-travel-rules-omicron-what-to-know/index.html