Effective January 26, 2021, the United States of America (USA) will require all air passengers arriving from a foreign country to be tested for the noble Coronavirus (COVID-19) at least three days (72 hours) before their flight’s departure. Passengers will also be required to show such documentation at the airport or any other proof of recovery before boarding the flight. According to an official note from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), this norm also applies to American citizens and legal permanent residents returning home.
The new requirement will also require travelers to quarantine at home for seven days. This measure reduces the spread of the new variants of the virus, which has been detected in the USA. According to the CDC, this strategy enhances the safety of the American people more efficiently. The USA is the country most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 22 million confirmed infections and over 380,000 deaths.
The CDC justified the need for such a move after confirming that the virus’s new variants spread rapidly. The test requirement is expected to help reduce the spread of the virus while more persons get the vaccine against COVID-19.
No traveling allowed without COVID-19 test or proof of recovery
Passengers must produce a negative test result of COVID-19 or show proof of recovery. If a passenger does not have the mandated documentation, the airline will deny that individual from boarding the flight.
This requirement was first geared at passengers flying out of British airports at the end of December following the discovery of a new variant in the United Kingdom. Currently, the USA denies entry to passengers from other countries in the European Union.
In Belize, passengers traveling from foreign countries have the option to get a negative PCR COVID-19 test before their journey or get a rapid test at the Philip Goldson International Airport upon arrival. A rapid test when arriving in the USA does not seem an option as the CDC noted that without said documentation travellers should not be allowed to board an airplane.
Such testing is available in Belize but on a limited basis. The tourism industry stakeholders and the Ministry of Health and Wellness are quickly responding to this new requirement to streamline availability to tourists departing Belize for the USA.
