The CDC is now requiring air travelers entering the U.S. to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 24 hours of their flight to help prevent the omicron variant's spread.
The new testing guidelines took effect Dec.. 6 and applies to all air travelers, regardless of vaccination status or citizenship. The CDC had previously allowed travelers to show proof of a negative test within 72 hours of their flight, according to The New York Times.
The stricter requirement comes as the U.S. averages more than 100,000 new COVID-19 cases per day, most of which are caused by the delta variant. The nation's seven-day new case average was 121,534 as of Dec. 6, according to data tracked by The Washington Post.. This average last topped 100,000 cases in early October.