Covid-19 test not required for international travellers to US

Washington: International air travellers to the US will no longer require Covid test before entering the country from June 12, the media reported.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will re-evaluate the decision in three months.

Reuters first reported the development that will allow people flying into the US not to take a Covid test before take-off, at least until the summer travel season is over.

According to the CDC, vaccinated and unvaccinated passengers had to get a Covid test done before they entered the US to date.

The only exceptions were children under two years old, who did not have to be tested.

The UK also allows travellers not to take “any Covid-19 tests” upon their arrival in England. Countries like Mexico, Norway, and Switzerland have a similar lack of requirements.

Meanwhile, two new Omicron sub-variants are on the rise in the US, adding to concern of health experts whether they may fuel a summer surge in Covid-19 cases.

The sub-variants, known as BA.4 and BA.5, were estimated to make up nearly 13 per cent of all new US Covid-19 cases in the latest week ending June 4, the CDC said this week.

BA.4 made up 5.4 per cent of the new cases, while BA.5 made up 7.6 per cent, according to CDC estimates.

The two sub-variants represented the highest percentage of cases in a region that includes Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, according to the CDC.

The US is currently averaging about 1 lakh Covid-19 cases and 300 deaths each day, the latest CDC data showed.

(IANS)