The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that international travelers will no longer be required to undergo enhanced COVID-19 testing upon their arrival to the U.S. starting September 14, 2020.
“We now have a better understanding of COVID-19 transmission that indicates symptom-based screening has limited effectiveness because people with COVID-19 may have no symptoms or fever at the time of screening, or only mild symptoms. Transmission of the virus may occur from passengers who have no symptoms or who have not yet developed symptoms of infection. Therefore, CDC is shifting its strategy and prioritizing other public health measures to reduce the risk of travel-related disease transmission.”
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Travelers from (or who had recently traveled to) China, Iran, Europe’s Schengen Zone, the UK, Ireland, and Brazil were previously included in the mandatory enhanced health screenings.
Additionally, international flights will no longer be routed through designated airports starting Sept. 14.
Passengers who underwent enhanced screening were required to land in Boston, Chicago O’Hare, Dallas-Fort Worth, Detroit, Honolulu, Houston, Atlanta, New York JFK, Miami, Los Angeles, Washington-Dulles, Newark, Seattle, or San Francisco airports.
The relaxation of the screening rules will apply to both foreign arrivals and Americans returning to the U.S. from abroad.
You can read the full release from the CDC here.