BOSTON — At some point soon, Americans may need to test negative before boarding a domestic flight. The Biden administration is considering new regulations for air travel during the pandemic.
Mandatory testing may make some people feel safer, but airlines are calling it a “logistical nightmare.” Impractical logistics, scarce testing resources, questions on who will fund it, how to make sure it doesn’t disproportionately stop low-income travelers, there is a whole list of reasons from airlines and other travel organizations on why not to do it, but we wanted to know what travelers thought.
“I really don’t personally think you should be mandated to be tested, but I’m not really sure why,” said Scott John, who flew in from Florida.
“It should be mandated,” said Lou, a Rhode Island resident. “I agree. It keeps everybody safe because you don’t know what’s going on, especially not with this second strain. It’s just, it’s scary. It’s scary. I mean young people that are healthy and getting sick and then passing, and then you get the older people that have the underlying conditions. Still, there are people out there that don’t take this seriously. It’s all conspiracy theory.”
>>>MORE: COVID-19 updates: Positivity rate below 3% for third straight day, DPH reports
It’s no conspiracy theory for Tamika Thompson, who flies weekly from Atlanta for work.
“My opinion is going to be a little bit skewed because I am a nurse practitioner,” Thompson said. “I feel like the more testing the better, even if it’s domestic and international travel, whatever it is, that way they can stop people from traveling from one area to the other.”
Before Laura Wang flew into Logan for her final semester of college, her school made her get tested.
“I have been quarantining for about two weeks. I got tested on Monday, last Monday,” said the Oregon resident. “But I don’t know if flying necessarily has any testing requirements.”
Right now the CDC only mandates negative tests for international flights; that went into effect two weeks ago. The CDC said traveling is antithetical to slowing the spread of COVID-19, but Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is on record saying the CDC is looking at all its options and the decision will be guided by data, science, medicine and the input of the people who are actually going to have to carry this out.
“What we know is that it’s the appropriate measure for international travel, people traveling into the U.S. given some of those considerations,” Secretary Buttigieg said. “I’d say the domestic picture is very different, but the CDC is always evaluating what can best be done to keep Americans safe.”
>>>MORE: State progressing through 430,000 in 75+ vaccination group
“I definitely think it would help I guess everyone’s peace of mind if that was required,” Wang said. “I think it would also be really hard for some people. I think not everyone has access to frequent testing. So I don’t know, it’s a hard question. It would definitely make my life harder too, so it’s hard.”
The hard decision will be made by the CDC. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky has not said whether there are plans to test domestic travelers, only saying, to the extent that we have available tests, it could be helpful.
Follow Wale on Facebook: WaleAliyuTV Twitter: @WaleAliyu or Instagram: WaleAliyuTV
Download the free Boston 25 News app for up-to-the-minute push alerts
>> Complete local and national coronavirus coverage here
RESOURCES:
- Complete local and national coronavirus coverage here
- Follow us on Facebook and Twitter | Watch Boston 25 NOW
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
