U.S. Ends COVID Testing Requirement for Air Travelers from China

On March 10, 2023, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) rescinded its December 2022 order imposing a COVID testing requirement on air travelers to the U.S.  from the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau.

The December 2022 order (effective on January 5, 2023) required a negative COVID-19 test or documentation of recovery from COVID  for air passengers boarding flights to the U.S. originating from the PRC, Hong Kong and Macau, and for travelers with flights to the U.S. originating  from  Seoul’s Incheon International Airport, Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, and Vancouver International Airport who had been in the PRC, Hong Kong or Macau in the 10 day period prior to traveling to the U.S.

Termination of the testing requirement for air travelers from these regions took effect on flights departing to the U.S. starting on March 10, 2023 at 3 pm ET.

BACKGROUND:

In 2022, the U.S. generally replaced testing requirements with vaccination requirements for international travelers.  The reintroduction of the testing requirement for travelers from China, Hong Kong, and Macau appears to have been a brief aberration.  As the U.S. continues to move toward lifting the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, it remains to be seen whether vaccine requirements will remain in place for international air travelers. To date, the Biden administration as not signaled any change to the vaccination requirement.

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