U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has now issued new guidance. This is a direct result of a decision by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Therefore, the CDC has officially ended its order requiring a negative COVID-19 test for some air passengers.

Initially, the order applied to travelers from the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, and Macau. In addition, it also affected those traveling through specific locations, including South Korea, Toronto, and Vancouver. Ultimately, the CDC’s action was a major step toward ending pandemic travel restrictions.

Why the Testing Order Existed

To begin with, the testing rule was put in place in late 2022. Subsequently, it came after a surge in COVID-19 cases in China, since the country had eased its “zero-COVID” policies. Due to this, the CDC was worried about new variants emerging. Likewise, it was concerned about the lack of clear data from the region.

Furthermore, the rule started on January 5, 2023. It required all air passengers aged two and older to show a negative COVID-19 test. As an alternative, they could provide proof of recovery. This was required before boarding a flight to the U.S. In fact, the rule applied to all travelers, regardless of nationality or vaccination status.

The Order Is Rescinded

On March 10, 2023, the CDC officially rescinded the order. Consequently, the change was effective immediately for all flights departing at or after 3:00 p.m. ET. This decision was part of a larger trend, as the U.S. and other countries continued to ease travel restrictions. Therefore, the move was based on the CDC’s review of global COVID-19 trends.

The CBP guidance was a direct result of this. As an enforcement arm, CBP is responsible for public health orders at U.S. borders. Given that the order was rescinded, CBP’s new guidance confirmed that airlines no longer had to check for these test results. Consequently, this change simplified travel for passengers from the affected regions. It also removed a key barrier to international travel.

Ultimately, the U.S. has been lifting most of its pandemic-era travel rules over time.