New COVID testing requirements for air travelers to the U.S.

If you have any friends or family flying into the country, there will be new coronavirus restrictions for them. Starting on Monday, anyone flying into the U.S. from a foreign country will be required to show a negative coronavirus test within one day of their flight.

The new rule applies to any traveler over the age of two, regardless of nationality and vaccination status. The negative test must be shown to the airline before boarding the flight.

The new requirement replaces a similar three-day rule that was in effect.

Myrna Breikss is Canadian. She said this new requirement won't stop her from visiting the U.S.

"Well, it's a pain in the neck. Sometimes it's just extra stuff that you have to do because we're triple vaxed. We've had three. But we still do what we need to do," said Breikss. "We want to travel. So we'll follow the rules."

U.S. health officials are now enforcing this requirement as the Omicron variant continues to spread.

"In Canada, we have fairly strict restrictions still regarding international travel. So to be honest with you, I wasn't totally surprised by it, especially with a new variant coming out," said Canadian traveler Raman Chawla. "We know that the spread with the last variant was pretty bad. So I can appreciate why the rules are in place."

This latest restriction replaces a similar three-day requirement. Now with a shorter time frame to take a COVID-19 test, international fliers will need to take a rapid antigen test.

"I think everybody's trying to do the best that they can with the current circumstance. So I think I'm just trying to go with the flow really," said Chawla.

There is also an option for people who can prove they have recovered from COVID-19 in the past 90 days. You can learn more about the requirements on the CDC's website.

Does the testing requirement apply to children?

Yes, but any child under the age of two does not require a test.

Do you have to get the test exactly 24 hours before travel?

According to the CDC: "The Order uses a 1-day time frame instead of 24 hours to provide more flexibility to the air passenger and aircraft operator. By using a 1-day window, test acceptability does not depend on the time of the flight or the time of day that the test sample was taken."

For example, if your flight is at 1 p.m. on a Friday, you could use a negative test taken any time the prior Thursday to board.