Rabat – The White House today announced it is lifting requirements for international travelers to present proof of a negative COVID-19 test.
The measure comes amid rising pressure from airlines that claim that the policy is unnecessary and is to blame for stagnating ticket sales, according to Bloomberg.
The new measure will enter into force on June 12.
However, it is unclear whether the policy change is final, The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will continue to monitor the situation over the first 90 days, official sources indicated.
The outgoing policy mandates travelers entering US soil to present proof of negative COVID-19 text that is a day or less old.
The CDC could eventually reinstate the travel restriction, should a new variant of the COVID-19 virus emerge, the report argues.
In addition, the US health agency will continue to recommend taking a COVID-19 test before boarding a place. However, the agency says that the decision to list the travel restriction is made possible given the availability of vaccines and treatments.
According to the U.S. Travel Association, the new measure could contribute to an increase in international visitors by as much as 5.4 million, who would spend $9 billion in the US economy.
“Today marks another huge step forward for the recovery of inbound air travel and the return of international travel to the United States,” US Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow told Bloomberg.
“The Biden administration is to be commended for this action, which will welcome back visitors from around the world and accelerate the recovery of the US travel industry,” he added.
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