The White House said Friday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will lift its requirement for air travelers to get a negative COVID-19 test before entering the U.S.
Driving the news: The move goes into effect at midnight on June 12, per CNN, which first reported the announcement.
- The rule change is “based on the science and data” and the CDC will reassess its decision in 90 days, a senior administration official told CNN.
The big picture: The testing requirement has drawn criticism from the travel industry and business organizations, which have lobbied the Biden administration to ditch the mandate for vaccinated international passengers entering the U.S.
- The Transportation Security Administration in April stopped enforcing the Biden administration’s rule mandating masks on planes, trains and other forms of public transportation after the mandate was struck down by a federal judge.
- The testing requirement was first implemented in January 2021 and it has applied to all travelers, regardless of vaccination status.
Go deeper: Over 260 travel, business groups urge White House to end COVID testing for U.S. entry
