U.S. May Require Negative Covid Tests for U.K. Travelers Due to New Strain

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has asked the three airlines that fly from the U.K. directly to New York to add the state to a list of 120 countries requiring pre-boarding Covid tests.

British Airways has already agreed to do so, starting Tuesday, Cuomo said Monday at a virus briefing. The other two airlines are Delta and Virgin Atlantic, he said. The three carry several thousand passengers every day, said Cuomo, who added that he believes “intuitively” that the new mutation found in the U.K. has already reached the U.S.

“I hope the other two airlines agree, or New York state will consider other options,” he said.

Cuomo blasted the U.S. government for “doing nothing” and urged officials to enact a travel ban from the U.K. or require testing of passengers. The new strain of the virus that has been discovered in the U.K. “is flying around the world,” he said.

“I believe intuitively it’s already here,” the governor said. “This is another disaster waiting to happen.”

Subscribe to our YouTube channel

Bloomberg Quicktake brings you live global news and original shows spanning business, technology, politics and culture. Make sense of the stories changing your business and your world.

To watch complete coverage on Bloomberg Quicktake 24/7, visit or watch on Apple TV, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Fire TV and Android TV on the Bloomberg app.

Have a story to tell? Fill out this survey for a chance to have it featured on Bloomberg Quicktake

Connect with us on…

Breaking News on YouTube