Emergency Request Memo

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC)
Atlanta GA 30341-3724

December 29, 2022
Dominic Mancini
Deputy Director
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
Office of Management and Budget
Washington, DC
Subject: Request for Emergency Review and Clearance
Dear Mr. Mancini:
Pursuant to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) procedures established at 5 CFR Part 1320,
Controlling Paperwork Burdens on the Public, I request that the proposed information collection project,
Requirements for Negative Pre-Departure Covid-19 Test Result or Documentation of Recovery from
COVID-19 for all Airline or Other Aircraft Passengers Traveling to the United States from the People’s
Republic of China be processed in accordance with section 1320.13, Emergency Processing.
I have determined that this information must be collected prior to the expiration of time periods
established under Part 1320, and that this information is essential to the implementation of a requirement
for a negative COVID-19 test or documentation of recovery for air passengers boarding flights to the
United States originating from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) or at Designated Airports if they
have been in PRC in the past 10 days.
Variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus continue to emerge in countries around the world. However, reduced
testing and case reporting in the PRC and minimal sharing of viral genomic sequence data could delay
the identification of new variants of concern if they arise. Pre-departure testing and the requirement to
show a negative test result has been shown to decrease the number of infected passengers boarding
airplanes, and it will help to slow the spread of the virus as we work to identify and understand any
potential new variants that may emerge.
Considering the potential danger to public health posed by emerging new variants in the People’s
Republic of China, CDC has determined that proactive, preventative measures must be implemented now
to protect the U.S. population from potential importation, transmission and spread of new COVID-19
variants into the United States. Pre-departure testing and the requirement to show a negative test result
decrease the number of infected passengers boarding airplanes and is a proactive, risk-based approach
that will help to slow the spread of COVID-19 as we work to identify and understand any potential new
variants that may emerge.
Based on the lack of viral genomic sequence data in the People’s Republic of China, this action is needed
to allow U.S. public health officials the critical time needed to monitor the unprecedented surge of
COVID-19 in the People’s Republic of China effectively and to identify any potential variants of
concern. CDC will continue to monitor the situation and be prepared to quickly adjust its approach as
necessary to protect the public’s health. CDC in coordination with other federal agencies will continue to
monitor travel pattern and adjust its approach as needed.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC)
Atlanta GA 30341-3724

CDC cannot reasonably comply with the normal clearance given the fact that this is a mandated/required
program, normal clearance processing time will prevent the program from being in compliance with the
statute. Therefore, the ICR needs to go forward as an emergency to prevent a lapse in collection
activities.
Please provide an approval/disapproval determination of this request to collect information under an
emergency clearance by close of business 12/29/2022.

Respectfully,

Daniel B. Jernigan, MD MPH
Acting Director, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, and
Deputy Director for Public Health Science and Surveillance,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention