Test and Documentation Requirements

from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web page: Requirement for Proof of Negative COVID-19 Test or Documentation of Recovery from COVID-19, updated Dec. 17, 2021

What types of SARS-CoV-2 tests are acceptable under the Order?

You must be tested with a viral test to look for current infection – these include an antigen test or a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT).

Phrases indicating a test is an antigen test could include, but not are not limited to:

• Rapid antigen test
• Viral antigen test
• Also, could be noted as Antigen Chromatographic Digital Immunoassay, Antigen Chemiluminescence Immunoassay, or Antigen Lateral Flow Fluorescence

Examples of available NAATs for SARS-CoV-2 include but are not restricted to:

• Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
• Isothermal amplification including:
  • Nicking endonuclease amplification reaction (NEAR)
  • Transcription mediated amplification (TMA)
  • Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)
  • Helicase-dependent amplification (HDA)
  • Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)
  • Strand displacement amplification (SDA)

The test used must be authorized for use by the relevant national authority for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the country where the test is administered.

A viral test conducted for U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) personnel, including DOD contractors, dependents, and other U.S. government employees, and tested by a DOD laboratory located in a foreign country also meets the requirements of the Order.

Rapid tests are acceptable if they are a viral test that meet the requirements under the Order.

Does a self-test meet the conditions of the Order?

You can use a self-test (sometimes referred to as home test) that meets the following criteria:

• The test must be a SARS-CoV-2 viral test (nucleic acid amplification test [NAAT] or antigen test) with Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) OR the relevant national authority where the test is administered.
• The testing procedure must include a telehealth service affiliated with the manufacturer of the test that provides real-time supervision remotely through an audio and video connection. Some FDA-authorized self-tests that include a telehealth service may require a prescription.
• The telehealth provider must confirm your identity, observe the sample collection and testing procedures, confirm the test result, and issue a report that meets the requirements of CDC’s Order (see “What information must be included in the test result?” below).
• Airlines and other aircraft operators must be able to review and confirm your identity and the test result details. You must also be able to present the documentation of test results to U.S. officials at the port of entry and local/state health departments, if requested.

What information must be included on the test result?

A test result must be in the form of written documentation (paper or digital copy). The documentation must include:

• Type of test (indicating it is a NAAT or antigen test)
• Entity issuing the result (e.g., laboratory, healthcare entity, or telehealth service)
• Sample collection date
• A negative test result must show the sample was taken no more than 1 day before the flight.
• A positive test result for documentation of recovery from COVID-19 must show the sample was taken within the 90 days before the flight.
• Information that identifies the person (full name plus at least one other identifier such as date of birth or passport number)
• Test result