US expected to toughen testing requirement for travelers

By ZEKE MILLER
Associated Press

Washington (AP) — The Biden administration is expected to take steps in the coming days to toughen testing requirements for international travelers to the U.S., for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people, amid the spread of the new omicron variant of the coronavirus. The precise testing protocols are still being finalized ahead of a planned speech Thursday by President Joe Biden on the nation’s plans to control the COVID-19 pandemic during winter. That’s according to a senior administration official who said some details could still change. Among the policies being considered is a requirement that all air travelers to the U.S. be tested for COVID-19 within a day of boarding their flight.