US CDC: "Negative COVID-19 Test Required to Board Flights to the United States" (Comprehensive)

Quarantine Measures Remain... Lockdown Strengthened
Fear of Variant Virus Spreading in 10 US States
Fauci "Variant Virus May Affect Vaccine"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The U.S. government announced that all travelers boarding flights to the United States will be required to submit a certificate confirming a negative test result for COVID-19. The existing quarantine measures after entry will remain in place, with the addition of the negative test requirement as a condition for entry. Alongside the U.S., health authorities in various countries have also begun implementing mandatory negative test requirements to prevent the influx of variant viruses spreading worldwide, signaling a further tightening of restrictions.

According to foreign media including CNN, on the 12th (local time), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated in a press release, "Starting from the 26th of this month, all airline passengers entering the United States will be required to submit a certificate of a negative COVID-19 test." Passengers must take a virus test within 72 hours before boarding and submit the negative test certificate to the airline. After entry, they must undergo a minimum 7-day self-quarantine period and receive a retest within 3 to 5 days.

This measure applies without exception not only to foreigners but also to all U.S. nationals entering from abroad. The submission of a negative test certificate is added to the existing post-entry quarantine measures. The CDC added, "Variant viruses have emerged worldwide, and there is evidence that some of these variants have increased transmissibility." They further stated, "Mandatory submission of negative test certificates for airline passengers will help slow the spread of the virus."

Earlier, the CDC had mandated the submission of negative test certificates for all travelers arriving from the United Kingdom, a region where variant viruses are rampant, starting from the end of last month. According to CDC data, as of this day, 72 variant virus cases have been confirmed in the U.S., spanning a total of 10 states.

Among international health experts, variant viruses are causing growing concern not only due to their high transmissibility but also because of observations that they may reduce the efficacy of some treatments and vaccines. On the same day, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warned during a virtual Schmidt Futures Forum discussion with international health experts from South Africa and other countries, "The South African variant virus may partially reduce the protective effect of single monoclonal antibody treatments and may also impact vaccine efficacy."

Not only the U.S. but health authorities worldwide are rushing to add mandatory COVID-19 negative test requirements to existing quarantine measures. The Canadian government announced that starting from the 7th, all travelers entering Canada must submit a negative test certificate and that the 14-day quarantine after entry will be maintained. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), countries currently requiring all travelers to submit a negative COVID-19 test certificate before entry include the U.S., Canada, China, Russia, Greece, Turkey, and Thailand, with the number expected to continue increasing.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.