[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 18, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2927-2928]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-00810]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-23-1380; Docket No. CDC-2023-0006]


Proposed Data Collection Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice with comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as part 
of its continuing effort to reduce public burden and maximize the 
utility of government information, invites the general public and other 
federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a proposed and/or 
continuing information collection, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995. This notice invites comment on a proposed 
information collection project titled 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 (PRC). This data collection 
is created to protect the U.S. population from potential importation, 
transmission, and spread of new COVID-19 variants into the United 
States from the PRC.

DATES: CDC must receive written comments on or before March 20, 2023.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CDC-2023-
0006 by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow 
the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Jeffery M. Zirger, Information Collection Review 
Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road 
NE, MS H21-8, Atlanta, Georgia 30329.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and Docket Number. CDC will post, without change, all relevant comments 
to www.regulations.gov.
    Please note: Submit all comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
portal (www.regulations.gov) or by U.S. mail to the address listed 
above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the information collection plan 
and instruments, contact Jeffery M. Zirger, Information Collection 
Review Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton 
Road NE, MS H21-8, Atlanta, Georgia 30329; Telephone: 404-639-7570; 
Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), federal agencies must obtain approval from 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of 
information they conduct or sponsor. In addition, the PRA also requires 
federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register 
concerning each proposed collection of information, including each new 
proposed collection, each proposed extension of existing collection of 
information, and each reinstatement of previously approved information 
collection before submitting the collection to the OMB for approval. To 
comply with this requirement, we are publishing this notice of a 
proposed data collection as described below.
    The OMB is particularly interested in comments that will help:
    1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    2. Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected;
    4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submissions of responses; and
    5. Assess information collection costs.

Proposed 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 (OMB Control No. 0920-1380, Exp. 6/30/2023)--New--
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    COVID-19 is surging in the People's Republic of China (PRC) because 
of

[[Page 2928]]

recent decisions to remove mitigation measures. The population in the 
PRC has not had extensive exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19 
and, therefore, has not developed immune protection through prior 
infection. The recent surge in COVID-19 transmission, particularly in a 
large population such as the PRC, increases the potential for new 
variants to emerge that could be introduced to the United States.
    Considering the potential danger to public health posed by emerging 
new variants in the PRC, 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.
    Pursuant to 42 CFR 71.20 and 71.31(b) and as set forth in greater 
detail below, this Notice and associated CDC Order will prohibit the 
boarding of any passenger two years of age or older on an itinerary 
that includes the United States, on:
     any aircraft departing from the PRC, or
     any aircraft departing from a Designated Airport if the 
passenger within the ten (10) days prior to their departure for the 
United States has been in the PRC, unless the passenger presents paper 
or digital documentation of one of the following requirements or meets 
a limited exception:
    1. A negative pre-departure viral test result for SARS-CoV-2 
conducted on a specimen collected no more than two (2) calendar days 
before the flight's departure from the PRC (Qualifying Test)
    OR
    2. Documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 in the past 90 
days in the form of one of the following (i.e., Documentation of 
Recovery):
    a. A positive viral test result for SARS-CoV-2 conducted on a 
specimen collected more than 10 calendar days but fewer than 91 
calendar days before the flight's departure; OR
    b. A positive viral test result for SARS-CoV-2 conducted on a 
specimen collected 10 or fewer calendar days before the flight's 
departure AND a signed letter from a licensed healthcare provider or 
public health official stating that the passenger's COVID-19 symptoms 
began more than 10 calendar days before the flight's departure.
    CDC may grant a humanitarian exception in very limited 
circumstances only when an individual must travel to the United States 
to preserve health (e.g., emergency medical evacuations, life-saving 
medical treatment) or safety (e.g., violence) and pre-departure testing 
cannot be accessed or completed before travel because of exigent 
circumstances. Air passengers will also be required to provide an 
attestation, attesting that the information they present is true.
    CDC requests OMB approval for an estimated 5,208,373 annual burden 
hours. There is no cost to respondents other than their time to 
participate.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of       Number of      burden per     Total burden
      Type of respondent            Form name       respondents    responses per   response (in     (in hours)
                                                                    respondent        hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air Passenger.................  Attestation--Pro       2,500,000               1               2       5,000,000
                                 of of Negative
                                 COVID-19 Test
                                 Result or
                                 Documentation
                                 of Recovery for
                                 Air Passengers
                                 from the
                                 People's
                                 Republic of
                                 China.
Airline Desk Agent............  Attestation--Pro       2,500,000               1            8/60         208,333
                                 of of Negative
                                 COVID-19 Test
                                 Result or
                                 Documentation
                                 of Recovery for
                                 Air Passengers
                                 from the
                                 People's
                                 Republic of
                                 China.
Air Passenger.................  Request                       20               1               2              40
                                 Humanitarian
                                 Exception--(No
                                 form).
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................  ................  ..............  ..............  ..............       5,208,373
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Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2023-00810 Filed 1-17-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P