U.S. Expected to Require Covid-19 Tests for All International Visitors

Travelers flying into the United States from international destinations will be required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test before boarding their flight, according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could issue the order as soon as Tuesday, with the new testing requirement reportedly going into effect Jan. 26, the newspaper said, citing unnamed sources.

For months, airlines have been pushing for a testing program to restart badly depressed international travel.

Airlines for America, the airline industry trade group, last week sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence urging the government to implement a global program to require rapid testing for travelers to the United States.

The group's goal is to stop the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 while eliminating current entry restrictions on travelers from Europe, the United Kingdom and Brazil, the group said. 

"These entry restrictions should be removed concurrently with the testing program, which will provide yet another layer of safety in the travel journey,'' Nicholas Calio, the group's CEO said in the letter.

It is not known whether the government will ease entry restrictions in tandem with the new testing requirement. USA TODAY has reached out to the CDC and Airlines for America for comment.

On Christmas Eve, the CDC ordered negative COVID tests for all travelers arriving from the U.K. due to the discovery of a new coronavirus variant.

Canada has gone a step further, requiring all airline passengers over the age of 5 bound for that country to have a negative COVID test. Even with a negative test, arriving passengers are still required to quarantine for 14 days.