As of yesterday, June 12th, the United States has lifted its 24-hour Covid testing requirement for all incoming international travelers.
Although domestic travel is on the upswing, previous guidelines have kept a lot of Americans from traveling internationally, fearing they may get stuck in another country if they were to test positive.
For the time being, travelers will no longer need to show a negative test to enter the United States. This decision was made based on many factors, one being the advice of disease control specialists.
Dr. William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University said the original mandate was designed to prevent importing the virus or new variations of the virus, “but we’ve got plenty of COVID here. It’s like telling someone not to pour a bucket of water in their swimming pool.”
The CDC will reassess its stance in 90 days. At this time, the CDC doesn't expect this new change to cause an uptick in cases.
Experts are estimating that this new change could bring 5.4 million visitors to the US which in turn could lead to $9 Billion toward United States tourism.
As always, if you are not feeling well, reconsider your travel plans. It is still recommended to wear a mask while traveling.
Although federal mask mandates have dropped, some establishments may still require masks, so be sure to have one on you so you aren't stuck without one.
