Top US government officials are considering requiring everyone who enters the country to be tested for
Covid-19 the day before their flight and having all travelers — including US citizens and permanent residents — be tested again after returning home, regardless of vaccination status, sources familiar with the discussions have told CNN.
Officials were deliberating the potential changes Tuesday night and no final decisions have been made.
However, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed in a statement that the agency is working to revise testing requirements for travelers because of the new Omicron variant.
"A revised order would shorten the timeline for required testing for all international air travelers to one day before departure to the United States," a CDC spokesperson said in a statement. "This strengthens already robust protocols in place for international travel, including requirements for foreign travelers to be fully vaccinated."
Currently, vaccinated travelers are required to test three days before their departures. The move under consideration would shorten that timeline to one day.
A mandatory quarantine for US citizens returning home is not under consideration, according to a White House official.
"The administration continues to evaluate the appropriate measures to protect the American people from COVID-19, especially as we learn more about the Omicron variant, including considering more stringent testing requirements for international travel. Policy discussions are ongoing across the government and no final decisions have been made," a White House official told CNN.
