CDC is not recommending a Covid-19 test requirement before domestic travel

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is not recommending a Covid-19 testing requirement before domestic air travel, the CDC tells CNN.

Federal officials said this week that they had been considering a testing requirement.

“At this time, CDC is not recommending required point of departure testing for domestic travel,” according to a CDC statement sent to CNN Friday night. “As part of our close monitoring of the pandemic, in particular the continued spread of variants, we will continue to review public health options for containing and mitigating spread of COVID-19 in the travel space.”

The CDC added that it does not recommend that people travel at this time.
“If someone must travel, they should get tested with a viral test 1-3 days before the trip,” the agency said. “After travel, getting tested with a viral test 3-5 days post-travel and staying home and self-quarantining for 7 days, even if test results are negative, is a recommended public health measure to reduce risk.”

The guidance comes after Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in an interview Sunday with Axios on HBO that the Department of Transportation and the CDC were considering requiring a negative Covid-19 test for any passengers on domestic flights.

The White House met with airline executives on Friday amid industry uproar over the possibility of testing domestic travelers for the coronavirus, sources tell CNN.

The airlines have been financially crippled by the pandemic and are wary of new travel restrictions that could cause further difficulties.