The Biden administration is reportedly set to announce Friday that the country is lifting its COVID-19 testing requirement for travelers heading to the U.S.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ultimately makes the decision to maintain or lift the requirement on U.S.-bound air travelers to test negative for COVID-19 before being allowed into the country. Senior administration officials told CNN that the CDC is expected to lift the restrictions at midnight on Sunday, and will reassess the decision in 90 days. Several other outlets also reported the U.S. is set to remove the testing rule.
Man Reportedly Kicked Off JetBlue Flight For Wearing ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ Maskhttps://t.co/cvDsoCsP90
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Airlines have been lobbying the Biden administration to lift the testing requirements, blaming them for depressing ticket sales, according to Bloomberg. The travel industry and other scientific experts have said the policy has been out of date for months, and both Republicans and some Democrats have called for it to be dropped.
“I’m glad CDC suspended the burdensome coronavirus testing requirement for international travelers, and I’ll continue to do all I can to support the strong recovery of our hospitality industry,” Democratic Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto said, according to CNN. (RELATED: ‘Is My Brain Okay’ SNL Skit Rips The Real Life Impact Of COVID Lockdowns… And It’s Terrifyingly Accurate)
Airline shares rose slightly Friday with the announcement, Bloomberg noted. Many carriers are already bracing for record demand for flights and anticipate that many Americans were not traveling internationally because of the testing requirements, Reuters reported.