CDC To Require Destructive Covid-19 Checks For Passengers Getting into U.S. From UK – .

Passengers flying to the US from the UK will need to take a negative COVID-19 test before departure, the Centers for Disease Control said late Thursday. It does so after the discovery of a new variant of the coronavirus that can be up to 70% more transmissible and is spreading in the UK and elsewhere.

UK passengers must receive negative COVID-19 tests and report the results to the airline within three days of their travel, the CDC said in a statement. If a passenger does not take a test, the airline must refuse the passenger to board. The agency said the order will be signed today, December 25, and will take effect on Monday.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said last weekend that while the new variant of the virus appeared to be spreading more easily, he stressed “there is no evidence that it is more deadly or causes more serious illness” or that vaccines are less effective against the virus .

This week, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo reached an unusual agreement with three airlines over flights from London to New York – Delta, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic – that have agreed to test passengers flying from the UK to New York. On Thursday, United Airlines agreed to do the same for its flights to Newark, NJ.

More than 40 countries have restricted travel from the UK, and in some cases travel from other countries that have documented cases with the variant since it was discovered.