NEWS: The U.S. Might Require COVID-19 Testing For Domestic Air Travel

Disney4me · February 9, 2021

Since the coronavirus pandemic began, there have been many changes to the way that we travel.

©Disney

We recently learned that vaccine passports could be required for air travel and events, and that a negative test is required for international travelers coming to the U.S. Now, the United States is considering a COVID-19 testing requirement for domestic air travel.

According to CNN, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the ruling would require negative COVID-19 test results for all domestic air travel.

©Orlando International Airport

Buttigieg said “there’s an active conversation with the CDC right now.” Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the CDC), Dr. Rochelle Walensky, stated that screening for travelers in the country could be helpful to combat the spread of the virus. She did not expand on the possibility of plans to require tests for domestic travelers.

Orlando Airport

Dr. Walensky said “to the extent that we have available tests to be able to do testing, first and foremost, I would really encourage people not to travel.” She continues, “but if we are traveling, this would be yet another mitigation measure to try and decrease the spread.”

Flight from Orlando

The association Airlines for America has shown concern for this possible requirement. In a letter to the White House, they said “Given the strong scientific evidence that the risk fo COVID-19 transmission onboard an aircraft is very low, we believe that a testing requirement for domestic air travel is unwarranted.”