Beginning Monday, travelers heading to the U.S. will be required to show evidence of a negative test for the virus within one day of boarding their flight instead of three days prior.
Any foreign national who travels to the U.S. must be fully vaccinated -- and the federal mask requirement for people in travel hubs like airports and those using public transportation like planes, trains and buses will remain through March.
Travel industry leaders say any restrictions should be placed on individual passengers -- not entire countries.
“We need to figure out how to balance not only the economy and the health concerns simultaneously, but we also need to think about making sure we still welcome international travelers here to the U.S.” Tori Emerson Barnes, Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy, U.S. Travel Association, said.
Right now, the U.S. has a travel ban on South Africa and several other southern African nations. But, officials say those bans are being reevaluated every day.