Travelers to U.S. Now Must Test Negative for Covid a Day Before Flying

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: New York Times

The United States began requiring international travelers on Monday to provide proof of a negative coronavirus test taken no more than a day before their flights. The move, intended to limit the spread of the Omicron variant, is causing headaches for many passengers.

Previously, fully vaccinated travelers could provide proof of a negative test taken within 72 hours of departure. The new requirement may be difficult for some to satisfy, because it can take more than a day to receive test results.

The new rules have some travelers wondering if they can stick to their planned itineraries. They are one more hurdle to clear for Americans who are living outside the United States and for foreigners hoping to visit for Christmas and New Year’s. From London to Taipei, travelers have been thinking about the scenarios that could emerge on a trip, like what would happen if a flight is canceled or if the traveler tests positive along the way.

August Dichter, 24, said on Monday that he had already spent two to three hours trying to figure out how to meet the testing requirement for his scheduled flight on Thursday to Philadelphia from London. Mr. Dichter, an American who just completed a yearlong master’s degree program in Wales, said he had gotten conflicting messages from the airline, with some guidelines describing the new requirement and others still saying he had a 72-hour window.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/travelers-to-us-now-must-test-negative-for-covid-a-day-before-flying/ar-AARx0tp

[Lonestarblue]

1. Someone in the government needs to clarify what type of test is acceptable.

The PCR test results are sometimes difficult to obtain within 24 hours while the antigen test results can be available within 1-2 hours.

[jmowreader]

2. I took a PCR test at Sea-Tac before flying to Hawaii

It was processed in less than an hour.

[Eugene]

4. The old rule accepted a negative antigen test. 24 hours can be difficult for PCR.

I flew back to the US, and Delta required the negative antigen test result to board the flight. Within 72 hours vaccinated; 24 hours unvaccinated. (CDC rules at the time)

Going out, the other country, through Delta, demanded PCR (no older than 72 hours). A quick PCR test in a US lab is available but pricey. I don't know who can do it overseas.

[róisín_dubh]

10. I just paid 149GBP to have a PCR test on Thursday when I arrive in London.

Astronomically expensive, but I'll have my results in 5 hours. Since I'm there for work, I need to reduce my quarantine time. I only have a couple of weeks to recoup about 2 years worth of lost research time. Labs in the UK are notoriously unreliable in their test turnaround time.

[brooklynite]

6. Rapid tests were acceptable back in October.

[dutch777]

3. While more test clarity/rapidity is required, this should be the rule for ALL international travel

We keep benignly supporting the spread of the next variant at our peril in the premature thinking we are getting back to "normal". We have been lucky so far, but if a variant of greater potency that can end run current vaccines develops in a low vaccination rate country and gets through we are in no position to defend ourselves, the economy or anything. Everyday the virus rolls the dice thousands of times all over the world to spawn new variants. A variant much worse than Delta or Omicron is completely possible from one of those dice rolls and each day that risk increases.

[NYC Liberal]

5. I still think it's nuts to be traveling, especially internationally, when we're still in the middle

of a pandemic. Too many people acting like COVID is in the past.

[DENVERPOPS]

7. If they are a Republican

they should also need proof of having had a rabies vaccination

[LittleGirl]

8. Flew to the states in

late September and needed a negative antigen test then. This is not new. I did not need a test to fly back to Europe but took one at home two days after landing because I got really sick while I was in CA. It was negative but it took weeks to recover. I guess I'll never know if it was covid. Wearing a mask for the whole flight was rough. The flight was 11 hours long plus airport requirements meant that I had a mask on for nearly 18 hours.

[mdelaguna]

9. Good now do it for all flights nt

[mnhtnbb]

11. I have plans to go to Bonaire in January

and have been searching for the least expensive PCR test with results no more than 48 hours prior to the flight to Bonaire--which is required for entry to Bonaire. Best price I can find? $199. I've spent a lot of time on this.

Now, if I have to provide a PCR test less than 24 hours to come home, I wonder what that's going to cost IF it's available on Bonaire.

Just this morning I have been thinking about canceling the trip, before hearing about this 24 hour negative test requirement to come home. And I am fully vaxxed, with booster.

[DFW]

12. If this is ironclad, there will be a LOT of empty planes flying to the USA on December 26th

My wife booked our yearly flight to Atlanta months ago. We ALWAYS fly on December 26th. There is a place here that will test on December 25th, but do we have guarantee the result will be back before we fly? No. MAYBE we'll get it when we change planes in Paris the next morning, and be able to show it at boarding. If not, who the hell WILL have a negative PCR test by then? If we get it done on the 24th, it will be beyond the deadline, so we HAVE to do the test on the 25th.

What genius thought THIS one up? Some DC bureaucrat who has never been out of the country before? Sounds like something a European bureaucrat would have thought up. Catch 22 meets the State Department.