U.S. to end COVID test requirement for international travelers

The Biden administration will announce Friday that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is ending its requirement that international travelers procure a negative COVID test before flying to the U.S., CNN reports per a senior administration official.

The change will reportedly go into effect at midnight on Sunday. The mandate has been in effect since January 2021.

The decision will likely be a welcome one. The travel industry, for instance, has been lobbying against the measure for months, arguing that it's both out of date and harmful to business. Even lawmakers, including Democrats, have recently pushed the administration to lift the requirement, per CNN.

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Notably, the CDC will reassess its decision in 90 days, and can reinstate the policy if it deems it necessary — in the event of a new variant, for example.