Passengers traveling from the United Kingdom to the U.S. will now be required to test negative for the coronavirus no more than three days before departure, the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.
The announcement comes after public health officials announced that a new variant of the coronavirus is circulating in the U.K. Preliminary data suggests the variant may be up to 70% more transmissible than other variations, the CDC said in a news release.
The order is expected to be signed Friday and become effective Monday.
The coronavirus test can either be a PCR or Antigen test, the CDC said.
Passengers will be required to submit results to airlines.
“This additional testing requirement will fortify our protection of the American public to improve their health and safety and ensure responsible international travel,” the CDC said in a statement.
