Travelers at Miami airport, December 24 DANIEL SLIM / AFP
The United States will require from next Monday, December 28, travelers arriving in the country on flights from the United Kingdom to present a negative coronavirus test carried out in the last 72 hours, as reported by the Center for the Control and Prevention of Diseases (CDC) in a statement.
The CDC has explained that negative test can be "via PCR or antigen test, performed no more than 72 hours before departure."
In addition, it has detailed that these travelers will have to deliver written documentation to the airline that proves the negative result of the diagnostic test for covid-19.
"The airlines will have to confirm the negative result of all passengers before boarding and, if a passenger decides not to take the test, they may deny boarding," adds the statement.
The health authority has explained that this measure is due to the fact that the United Kingdom "has recently announced the discovery of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2" that "could be up to 70% more transmissible than the previous" strains.
The CDC maintains that "this additional requirement of testing will strengthen the protection of the American people to improve their health and safety, and ensure responsible international travel."
A different path from Europe
The restriction that the US imposes on travelers from the UK is less than that applied by most European countries.
Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and many other states on the continent have suspended general flights with the British country.
Spain has canceled flights from the United Kingdom except for Spaniards or residents.
In addition, border control with Gibraltar has also been strengthened.
Countries like France or Greece do allow British access but, like the United States, with a negative test provided by the traveler.
The new strain of the virus has already been detected in Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia and Gibraltar.
The British Government calls the new variant VUI – 202012/01.
"This new version has probably already spread to many other countries in Europe," explains Ravindra Gupta, a researcher at the University of Cambridge and a member of the UK's national coronavirus consortium.
Information about the coronavirus
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- Guide to action against the disease