NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Prior to boarding a U.S.-bound aircraft, all international travelers will be required to show airline personnel written documentation of a negative COVID-19 test result, the Centers for Disease Control announced Tuesday, as part of a federal policy going into effect Jan. 26.
"If a passenger does not provide documentation of a negative test or recovery, or chooses not to take a test, the airline must deny boarding to the passenger," the CDC said in a statement.
The test must be taken within three days of the traveler's departure from the international destination. Previously the rule only applied to those arriving from the U.K., where a new variant of coronavirus emerged.
CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield said, "Testing does not eliminate all risk, but when combined with a period of staying at home and everyday precautions like wearing masks and social distancing, it can make travel safer, healthier, and more responsible by reducing spread on planes, in airports, and at destinations."
