Negative Covid Tests Could Be a Requirement for Domestic Air Travel

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Tuesday that new restrictions requiring travelers to test negative for COVID-19 before flying domestically are being discussed, and could be introduced soon.

Dr. Marty Cetron, director for the Division of Global Migration and Quarantine at CDC, was asked about about new domestic travel testing requirements, Reuters reports. Cetron said that there were “conversations that are ongoing and looking at what the types and locations of testing might be… We’re actively looking at it.”

“We realize that there’s been a dramatic evolution and increase in both testing platforms and testing capacity. I think this is a really important part of our toolkit to combat this pandemic,” Cetron said.

On Tuesday a new a policy kicked in, requiring international travelers to test negative for COVID-19 before arriving in the U.S.. The CDC said Sunday it would not issue waivers to exempt travelers from some countries with limited testing capacity.

There are no nationwide restrictions currently on domestic travel. The CDC has advised for months to avoid nonessential travel.