Travelers to the United States will soon be required to undergo a COVID-19 test that is negative within 24 hours of departure.

On December 2, US President Joe Biden delivered the much-anticipated statement, amid mounting worries about the new Omicron model.

According to a White House briefing, the new guidelines will go into force early next week. Regardless of nationality or immunization status, all overseas travellers destined for the United States will be required to take a test within one day of their departure. With a few exceptions, unvaccinated travellers are not permitted to enter the United States.

The move by the United States comes only days after Canada confirmed that US travellers will be excluded from the new travel restrictions. Fully vaccinated flight travellers from all countries except the United States are currently required to be tested upon arrival at a Canadian airport. They’ll have to stay in quarantine until the results of their test come back negative.

Jean-Yves Duclos, Canada’s health minister, said the government would meet with provinces to discuss steps with the US. Since November 30, there have been no new developments that have been made public.

In order to board an aircraft or train in Canada, passengers must now be completely vaccinated.

Following the discovery of the Omicron strain, Canada has imposed travel restrictions on the ten nations listed below:

• Lesotho;
• Malawi;
• Mozambique;
• Namibia;
• Botswana
• Egypt;
• Eswatini;
• Nigeria;
• South Africa; and
• Zimbabwe.

Foreign nationals who have visited these countries in the previous two weeks are not permitted to enter Canada. A negative PCR test in a third country is required for fully vaccinated Canadian citizens and permanent residents who have visited any of these countries within the same time period. They’ll be tested again when they arrive, and they’ll have to go into quarantine for 14 days, with a test on day 8.

Those arriving by plane will be transported to a quarantine facility. They are free to leave once their test results are negative.

Those arriving by land may be permitted to proceed straight to the quarantine place specified in their quarantine plan. They will be taken to a designated quarantine centre if they do not have a sufficient quarantine plan.