It’s the news many were waiting for – being able to travel internationally without the worry of getting a COVID-19 test to come back to the United States.
With the vaccines and treatments available to fight COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has decided to lift the requirement.
The rule, put in place at the height of the pandemic, required travelers to get tested within 72 hours before flying back to U.S., but as of Sunday, it is no longer required.
Some signs recommending social distance and wearing a mask can still be seen throughout LaGuardia.
New York’s mandate requiring out-of-state visitors to quarantine for two weeks and get a negative test result before fully immersing with New Yorkers expired in April 2021.
International travelers at LaGuardia airport were thrilled to have one less thing to worry about. However, some travelers say they will still take precautions.
Trev Baptiste told News 12 he was thinking about traveling to Thailand.
“That would be international, but I wouldn’t do it another few months,” says Baptiste.
“We’ve been taking some precautions,” says traveler Emree Dahall. “I’m going to be a little more cautious until I feel comfortable.”
The CDC says it will monitor trends and make decisions based on those trends.
Some countries still require vaccine states and testing. If you are traveling internationally, be sure to look up the entry requirements for the country you’re visiting.