New COVID-19 Testing Rules Take Effect For International Travelers

Starting Monday morning, all travelers coming to the United States, regardless of vaccination status, must get a COVID- 19 test within 24 hours of their departure.

It used to be within three days of their flight, but President Biden tightened restrictions as the new Omicron variant continues to spread.

At least 17 states have reported Omicron-related infections.

Health experts said many of the confirmed cases have been found in vaccinated people who reported having mild symptoms.

"We really got to be careful before we make any determinations that it is less severe or really doesn't cause any severe illness comparable to delta but thus far, the signals have been encouraging regarding the severity,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, NIAID Director.

Omicron’s arrival comes during a spike in new COVID cases.

Cases across the country are up 19% in just two weeks.

In Oklahoma, the state’s seven-day rolling average is up to 993 cases a day.

So far, the Omicron Variant has not been detected in Oklahoma but health leaders say it is really only a matter of time.