The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week dealt a hard blow to the aviation industry as it struggles to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
While the CDC has made a number of recommendations that give vaccinated and low-risk people more freedom to get together, CDC director Rochelle WalenskyRochelle Walensky Overnight in Healthcare: After a Brutal Year, Is the US Starting to Get Nearly Normal? CDC says it’s safe for vaccinated people to collect indoors Biden Gives Prime-Time Address On Pandemic Lockdown Anniversary Nation Takes Baby Steps To Normality After Year In Lockdown CDC: Vaccinated People Can Safely Collect Indoors Without Masks MORE said Monday the agency’s travel advice remains the same for both vaccinated and unvaccinated Americans: Don’t do it.
But some experts called those guidelines confusing and the aviation industry, saying it would continue to work with the CDC, highlighted its efforts to prevent the transmission of coronavirus on board aircraft and its confidence that its approach is safe.
“We remain convinced that this layered approach significantly reduces risk and we are encouraged that science continues to confirm that there is a very low risk of virus transmission on board aircraft,” said an Airlines for America spokesperson, advocating for large US airlines.
President Biden
Joe Biden CNN: Bidens’ Dogs Removed From White House Federal judge rules’ QAnon shaman ‘is too dangerous to be released from prison Pelosi says Capitol riot was one of the most difficult moments of her career MORE early in his tenure, wearing masks on air travel made the wearing of masks a federal mandate rather than a requirement of US airlines. The White House also recently paused consideration of a domestic flight test requirement by air.
“We will continue to work with the CDC and other appropriate authorities to ensure the implementation of travel policies and measures that prioritize the safety and wellbeing of all passengers and employees,” said the Airlines for America spokesperson.
Delta, Southwest, United, and American Airlines have all reached out to Airlines for America for comment.
Leana Wen, a professor of public health at George Washington University and former health commissioner in Baltimore, called Monday’s guidelines “far too cautious.”
“Many families are separated and have to travel to see each other. I am really confused by why travel guidance hasn’t changed. Travel has a very low risk – imagine traveling in your own car or even a plane – when everyone is wearing masks, the risk of coronavirus is very low, ”she said.
The aviation industry has not asked for changes to their mask-wearing policy, but a set of criteria that can be used to adapt their travel guidance.
“We continue to urge the CDC to establish and release a set of criteria that will be used to adjust their guidelines regarding travel,” said an industry source.
Airlines for America and other industry groups this week called on Biden’s administration to develop COVID-19 health credentials that include information about tests and vaccinations, led by the CDC, so travelers can have identity verification and personal health records on hand.
The US Travel Association stressed that overcoming the pandemic is the priority, but also that goals should be set to ease some of the restrictions.
“We believe it is critical for US public health officials to set goals to ease official travel guidelines. The one-year layover has separated people and caused serious damage to the economy and employment, and with the advancement of vaccines and encouraging trends in many areas, it should be possible to consider a timeframe for a wider reopening travel, ”said Tori Emerson Barnes, executive vice president of public affairs and policy.
Sara Nelson, international president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, was not critical of the CDC recommendation on Monday, saying the US is on the road to recovery.
“CDC policy has not changed. This reinforces the urgency to increase vaccine capacity and distribution, and the overall effort to end the pandemic. COVID is the problem. We have to stay vigilant and get people vaccinated as soon as possible, ”she said.
The CDC did not respond to a request for comment on what needs to be done to lift the travel restriction.
“We’re really trying to limit travel in this current period, and we hope that our next set of guidelines will include more science on what vaccinated people can do, maybe travel is one of them,” Walensky said Monday.
Rep. Rodney Davis
Rodney Lee Davis House Passed Election Bill Focuses On Foreign Interference Biden For Meeting With Bipartisan Lawmakers Over Infrastructure House Passes Voting Rights And Election Reform Bill MORE (R-Ill.), A member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said the White House should stop “embracing a lockdown mindset.”
“The whole point of vaccinating Americans against COVID is to save lives while accelerating our country’s return to normal. People who continue to support the status quo of COVID restrictions, even as millions of Americans are vaccinated every day,” will eventually deter a large number of Americans from even getting the vaccine, ”he said.
The CDC has also recommended that vaccinated individuals should not be quarantined or tested if they come into contact with someone with COVID-19 and do not develop symptoms.
Wen called this guidance confusing.
“If they say you don’t even need to be quarantined after being exposed to someone with known COVID-19, can’t you get on a plane and sit there masked with people who probably aren’t COVID-19? It’s just makes no sense, ”she said.
Air travel is slowly returning but has not yet reached pre-pandemic levels. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened 1,277,719 passengers on Sunday, and the last time the volume was that high was on Jan. 3 when 1,327,289 passengers were screened on vacation trips.
On Saturday, TSA screened 991,547 passengers. The previous year, on March 6, the agency screened 2,198,517 passengers.
The coronavirus control legislation passed by the Senate on Saturday will provide some help to the industry. Airlines received a $ 15 billion boost and an extension of the Payroll Support Program, a key provision in the CARES Act that was due to expire April 1.
The extension allows airlines to keep employees on the payroll through September 30.
When asked what guidelines the CDC would give a governor regarding vaccinated people traveling back to their state, Walensky stressed that the recommendations have not changed.
“Our guidance is unchanged, so we would maintain all guidance that is currently in effect. We want to give vaccinated grandparents the opportunity to visit their children and grandchildren who are healthy and local, but our tour guidance is currently unchanged, ”he said.
Harvard University’s National Preparedness Leadership Initiative found “scientific evidence that consistently following a tiered approach serves as a strong mitigation strategy for SARS-COV-2 transmission on board an aircraft,” according to a report released last month.
The report, assessing the risk of COVID-19 transmission during air travel, found a “very low probability” of being contaminated with COVID-19 from an aircraft and recommended the multi-layered approach of wearing a mask and physical distance. to take during boarding and alighting. .
Wen fears that not allowing vaccinated people to travel could mean that unvaccinated people are not encouraged to see vaccination as a return to normal.
“We need to become a lot clearer about the freedoms a person can have once they have vaccination proof,” she said. “I believe that people who are fully vaccinated should be able to travel and in fact be encouraged to travel, with all precautions, of course.”