Health

COVID-19 testing struggles at Logan Airport as holiday travel ramps up

BOSTON — With Christmas just five days away, holiday travel is in full swing at Boston’s Logan Airport. AAA predicts three times as many people will fly to their holiday destinations this year compared to last.

PREVIOUS: 109M Americans expected to travel this Christmas, AAA says

Over the past three days, the Transportation Security Administration has screened more than two million passengers daily at airports nationwide – nearly doubling the numbers for this period last year.

Unlike last year, health experts are not urging people to cancel their holiday plans, but they are encouraging people to get tested before gathering in groups.

Many people traveling internationally for the holidays are required to get tested per international travel rules, but many told Boston 25 the testing options at Logan Airport are subpar.

The airport has two COVID-19 testing sites, one at Terminal C, the other at Terminal A, and both are in extremely high demand.

“They go very slowly,” said George Reilly of Brewster. He waited in line for five hours Sunday before being turned away when the testing site closed. “I think that they’ve got to organize this a little bit better because there are tons of people that need this and are here.”

Reilly needs a test to visit his daughter in Paris for Christmas. He tried to board his plane Sunday with a PCR test, but it was taken 49 hours before his flight – one hour over the 48-hour window.

He was forced to stay behind and try to get a new test at the airport, which will cost him $250.

“I think the problem is accessibility for tests is quite tricky,” said Phil Iredale of East Greenwich, RI. “I tried to book other tests when I found out that I needed to get another test, and it’s a terrible ordeal. This is the only option is to wait in the line here.”

Iredale said he tried to make an appointment to get tested at the airport, but the site at Terminal C was fully booked up for the next week.

While walk-ins are allowed, many inline said the process is extremely slow.

“The testing sites, they need more of them,” said Iredale. “Especially when the rules change as well.”

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