Cobb Reporter

Asian American Hotel Owners Association issued the following announcement on June 10. 

Negative COVID test no more – for international air travelers to the United States, that is. 

The CDC is lifting the negative COVID-19 test requirement for international air travelers as of midnight on June 12. 

The Biden Administration made the announcement about lifting the restriction – which applies to all travelers, regardless of vaccination status – on Friday. 

“The burdensome requirement is over,” said AAHOA President and CEO Laura Lee Blake. “COVID-19 testing for international travelers hindered the recovery of the travel and hospitality industry, and now we can all look forward to a boost in international travel demand.” 

AAHOA, many lawmakers, and leaders in the travel and hospitality industry have pushed for this for months, as many felt the requirement had a negative impact on an already uncertain economy. 

“International travel is essential to our industry, which has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said AAHOA Chairman Neal Patel. “I commend the CDC and the Biden administration for dropping the negative test requirement, as it will help the United States travel industry, and our economy at large, continue to bounce back, especially as we enter the busy summer travel season.” 

The CDC says it is changing the rule, which has been in place since January of 2021, after determining it was no longer necessary "based on the science and data," and will reassess its decision in 90 days. 

If officials determine they need to reinstate it, if there’s a concerning new variant, for example, they will do so. 

This move comes after the Transportation Security Administration stopped enforcing the mask mandate on public transportation in April after the mandate was struck down by a federal judge.

Original source can be found here.