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US to require air travelers to provide a negative test within 1 day of departure

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Old Dec 3, 2021, 7:22 am
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10 June 2022 - The Biden administration will on Sunday end a requirement that air travelers to the U.S. undergo Covid-19 tests before departure, according to federal officials.

The testing requirement is set to end June 12 at 12:01 a.m.



CDC Order and FAQ: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html

CDC Order updated 2 December 2021:
  • If you plan to travel internationally, you will need to get a COVID-19 viral test (regardless of vaccination status or citizenship) no more than 1 day before you travel by air into the United States. You must show your negative result to the airline before you board your flight.
  • If you recently recovered from COVID-19, you may instead travel with documentation of recovery from COVID-19 (i.e., your positive COVID-19 viral test result on a sample taken no more than 90 days before the flight’s departure from a foreign country and a letter from a licensed healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you were cleared to travel).

All air passengers 2 years or older with a flight departing to the US from a foreign country at or after 12:01am EST (5:01am GMT) on December 6, 2021, are required show a negative COVID-19 viral test result taken no more than 1 day before travel, or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 in the past 90 days, before they board their flight.

What types of SARS-CoV-2 test are acceptable under the Order?
You must be tested with a viral test that could be either an antigen test or a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT). Examples of available NAATs for SARS-CoV-2 include but are not restricted to reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), transcription-mediated amplification (TMA), nicking enzyme amplification reaction (NEAR), and helicase-dependent amplification (HDA). The test used must be authorized for use by the relevant national authority for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the country where the test is administered. A viral test conducted for U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) personnel, including DOD contractors, dependents, and other U.S. government employees, and tested by a DOD laboratory located in a foreign country also meets the requirements of the Order.

eMed (Abbot BinaxNOW, one of the approved methods) Thread on Flyertalk: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/coronavirus-travel/2048940-issues-re-emed-abbot-binaxnow-navica-tests.html
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US to require air travelers to provide a negative test within 1 day of departure

 
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Old Dec 7, 2021, 4:26 pm
  #166  
 
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Originally Posted by SamirD
My sister-in-law who lives there said this company can do it. It's who I plan to use when flying back to the US: https://covidtraveltestgta.ca
Thank you very much.
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Old Dec 7, 2021, 4:33 pm
  #167  
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Good thing everyone went and got vaccinated so that they wouldn't have to be doing this constant testing and could travel. Oh wait, never mind!

Last edited by NewbieRunner; Dec 7, 2021 at 5:19 pm Reason: Removed OMNI comment
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Old Dec 7, 2021, 5:11 pm
  #168  
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Can someone confirm that travelers from a US territory do NOT need a test? All the online tools say so but I just want to be triple sure.
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Old Dec 7, 2021, 6:04 pm
  #169  
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Originally Posted by Smiley90
Can someone confirm that travelers from a US territory do NOT need a test? All the online tools say so but I just want to be triple sure.
A Google search on your question gave this result:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...ore%20boarding.

No, the requirement to present a negative result of a COVID-19 viral test or documentation recovery from COVID-19 does not apply to air passengers with flights from a US territory to a US state.

U.S. territories include American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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Old Dec 7, 2021, 6:07 pm
  #170  
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Originally Posted by aztimm
A Google search on your question gave this result:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...ore%20boarding.
Sweet, thanks!
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Old Dec 7, 2021, 6:50 pm
  #171  
 
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Originally Posted by Davvidd
Thank you very much.
You're welcome! Let me know how it goes as I won't be using it until nearly the end of the year.
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Old Dec 7, 2021, 6:58 pm
  #172  
 
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Originally Posted by Davvidd
Sorry I did not make myself clear. I would need a PCR test done for the flight for YYZ. But the PCR tests do not come within 24 hours hence an antigen test at YYZ seems to be the only option after I get the PCR test done before my first flight.
There is testing right at the airport at YYZ. It's done at the garage which is accessible by airport train.

https://www.torontopearson.com/en/he...ing-passengers

The option @SamirD kindly posted is nowhere near the airport and there are many pharmacies closer to the airport which will also do the antigen test for cheaper ($40).
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Old Dec 7, 2021, 7:04 pm
  #173  
 
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I'm flying from Mexico to the USA on Jetblue tomorrow and got an email from Jetblue inviting me to complete the attestation online.

The attestation options are "I'm fully vaccinated and got a negative COVID test within the last day" and "I'm not fully vaccinated and got a negative COVID test within the last day"

Which of course raises the question: Why do I have to attest to my vaccination status if the rules are the same for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers?
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Old Dec 7, 2021, 7:14 pm
  #174  
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Originally Posted by jphripjah
I'm flying from Mexico to the USA on Jetblue tomorrow and got an email from Jetblue inviting me to complete the attestation online.

The attestation options are "I'm fully vaccinated and got a negative COVID test within the last day" and "I'm not fully vaccinated and got a negative COVID test within the last day"

Which of course raises the question: Why do I have to attest to my vaccination status if the rules are the same for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers?
Are you a US citizen? If not, then one of those yields different results than the other. At least in theory.
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Old Dec 7, 2021, 7:45 pm
  #175  
 
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Originally Posted by xray
There is testing right at the airport at YYZ. It's done at the garage which is accessible by airport train.

https://www.torontopearson.com/en/he...ing-passengers

The option @SamirD kindly posted is nowhere near the airport and there are many pharmacies closer to the airport which will also do the antigen test for cheaper ($40).
Thank you for posting! I'll have to mention this to my sister-in-law, hahaha! She should have known this!

Originally Posted by jphripjah
Which of course raises the question: Why do I have to attest to my vaccination status if the rules are the same for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers?
Probably some sort of reporting required of the airline, hence they have to ask passengers.

Last edited by NewbieRunner; Dec 8, 2021 at 4:59 pm Reason: Merge consecutive posts by same member
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Old Dec 7, 2021, 8:28 pm
  #176  
 
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Originally Posted by FlyingfromDC
We are all trying to figure out why all the tests are expiring by February. Maybe it has something to do with regulatory approval? I find it very odd eMed is not communicating anything about their future plans. We are all also still waiting for reports from people trying to take expired tests to see if there is a problem or now (expired meaning TRULY expired, 3 months after printed exp date).
I believe it was discussed in another thread that it seems they are attempting to off load the older tests first. Prior to this they were selling tests expiring in December with the 3 months extension (meaning the printed expiration were in September) and that's what I just recently used. I'm waiting to see them selling tests with much later expirations than February.
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Old Dec 8, 2021, 6:37 am
  #177  
 
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It is rather complicated and I think I may eventually have to take a more direct flight from Canada instead of transiting via USA since the time factor for the PCR test at the destination may come into play because of another transit in Tokyo to BKK.
What would be the advice of the experts here? Should `I try to take a flight from Canada to BKK via Tokyo or Seoul though it is 1K more expensive or should I try the one via USA?
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Old Dec 8, 2021, 9:05 am
  #178  
 
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Originally Posted by Davvidd
It is rather complicated and I think I may eventually have to take a more direct flight from Canada instead of transiting via USA since the time factor for the PCR test at the destination may come into play because of another transit in Tokyo to BKK.
What would be the advice of the experts here? Should `I try to take a flight from Canada to BKK via Tokyo or Seoul though it is 1K more expensive or should I try the one via USA?
Your going to BKK from Canada? Take one antigen and one PCR test to fit both the Thai and US criteria.
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Old Dec 8, 2021, 9:31 am
  #179  
 
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Originally Posted by On Time Reports
Your going to BKK from Canada? Take one antigen and one PCR test to fit both the Thai and US criteria.
How does the US baggage transfer system works? I am taking stuff for family and friends and would I have to declare those items at US customs when I do it in Canada? Or since it is a thru flight to BKK, they are not interested? I am taking some food stuff from Canada to BKK.
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Old Dec 8, 2021, 9:43 am
  #180  
 
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Originally Posted by Davvidd
How does the US baggage transfer system works? I am taking stuff for family and friends and would I have to declare those items at US customs when I do it in Canada? Or since it is a thru flight to BKK, they are not interested? I am taking some food stuff from Canada to BKK.
Everyone who lands in the USA goes through passport control screening and customs. Then you re-check your bag to your onward destination. You can often do this just outside the customs hall, they usually have a designated area for re-checking bags. If not, or if that re-check area is closed/unstaffed, you may have to tote/roll your bags to the airline check in desk, which may be in a different terminal, and re-check the bags there.

Originally Posted by Davvidd
It is rather complicated and I think I may eventually have to take a more direct flight from Canada instead of transiting via USA since the time factor for the PCR test at the destination may come into play because of another transit in Tokyo to BKK.
What would be the advice of the experts here? Should `I try to take a flight from Canada to BKK via Tokyo or Seoul though it is 1K more expensive or should I try the one via USA?
I guess it depends on how much money you save by choosing a routing that involves entering the USA. My concern would be the risk of getting stuck in the occasionally long lines for passport control/customs at some US airports. In order to account for that, I think you really want a minimum 3 hour connection in the USA. Some people might say a minimum of 4-5 hours. But then in all likelihood you'll be able to clear customs in an hour and you'll be sitting and twiddling your thumbs for 3-4 hours at the US airport, adding time to an already long trip, which you won't have to do if flying directly from Canada to Asia.
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Last edited by NewbieRunner; Dec 8, 2021 at 4:58 pm Reason: Merge consecutive posts by same member
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