The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have a significant role in forming, publishing, and enforcing U.S. pandemic policy. Due to the Omicron Variant of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the CDC has made some significant changes to the COVID-19 protocols and requirements for air travel. These changes went into effect on Thursday, December 2, 2021 and will continue until the Biden Administration directs otherwise.
· Travelers must be in possession of a negative COVID-19 viral test, taken no more than twenty-four hours before boarding a flight to the U.S.
· Travelers must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
· Travelers must wear a mask on all public conveyances and at all transportation hubs.
· Travelers cannot travel to the United States from countries in southern Africa, regardless of vaccination status, without first obtaining permission to travel.
The CDC has published a useful chart to facilitate compliance, though we strongly recommend checking back with the CDC on a frequent basis. U.S. travel policy is a moving target during the pandemic and what the public thinks reasonable may not match the policy choices the government has published.
Green and Spiegel, An Immigration Law Firm with Six Decades of Experience:
Green and Spiegel is monitoring this situation closely and will continue to update our blog and provide E-Alerts to advise on the latest developments. As always, we strongly encourage you to reach out to our office if you have any questions regarding if or how these changes impact you, your business, and your family. Our office number is (215)395-8959, we can be reached via web.
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