International
US demands negative COVID-19 tests from all UK travelers over new virus strain
The United States of America has ordered all travelers from the United Kingdom to produce negative COVID-19 test results over the new strain of the virus sweeping across Western England.
This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which ordered that passengers arriving from the United Kingdom to test negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours of departure starting from Monday amid concerns about a new coronavirus variant that may be more transmissible.
The CDC in a statement on Twitter said; “Starting tomorrow @British_Airways will require passengers on UK flights to NY to show a negative COVID test before departure.
“We are in conversations with Delta and Virgin Atlantic to do the same.
“We can’t let history repeat itself with this new virus variant,” the CDC added.
READ ALSO: Germany clamps down on flights from UK, South Africa over new COVID-19 strain
“Viruses constantly change through mutation and preliminary analysis in the UK suggests that this new variant may be up to 70 percent more transmissible than previously circulating variants,” the CDC noted.
This came after concerned authorities in China banned all flights to and from the United Kingdom due to the new mutant COVID-19 strain sweeping across Eastern England.
The order was issued on Thursday in a statement by the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin who did not offer details on when flights would stop.
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