In a statement circulated in local media on Tuesday, the Egyptian flag carrier called for travellers to the US, regardless of vaccination status or citizenship, to take a PCR or antigen test within this period.

Some travellers, instead, can submit certified documents proving that they have recovered from coronavirus within 90 days of travelling date, EgyptAir said.

The decision comes after the US has decided to tighten the policy on coronavirus tests for inbound travellers from different countries of the world, starting 6 December in response for the new variant Omicron.

Previously, the US required its citizens, permanent residents, and vaccinated travellers to submit negative test results within three days of departure for the US.

Late in November, the US also barred travellers from Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe in southern Africa, where the variant reportedly first emerged.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) in November classed Omicron as a variant "of concern" with scientists racing time to test its pottential impact on the coronavirus vaccine efficiency.

The WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan told AFP on Tuesday that it “highly unlikely” that Omicron, will fully dodge the vaccine protection or cause more severe illness than previous variants.