Major airports will soon be implementing new testing service 'XpresCheck' to detect variant
The CDC is taking action to help try and get ahead of the new COVID-19 variant omicron spreading in the U.S.
News 12 Staff
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Dec 1, 2021, 10:49 AM
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Updated 875 days ago
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5h agoThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is taking action to help try and get ahead of the new COVID-19 variant omicron from spreading in the U.S.
Soon airports will be implementing XpresCheck, a testing service at major airports such as Newark Liberty International, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, and San Francisco International Airport.
The XpresCheck will test people for the omicron as more countries such as Canada, Britain, and Brazil are detecting cases of the variant.
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"This program allows for increased COVID testing for specific international arrivals, increasing our capacity to identify those with COVID-19 on arrival to the United States and enhancing our surveillance for the Omicron variant," says CDC director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky.
Health officials say this is a way to make international travel safer and will test more travelers accurately closer to the time of flights.
As of now, vaccinated travelers are required to test three days before their departure.
There is consideration to shorten that timeline to one day, but it is up to the CDC to decide that.
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