Updated December 28th, 2021 at 08:48 IST

Fauci: US must consider COVID vaccine mandate for domestic air travel as Omicron spreads

“If you want to do that with domestic flights, I think that’s something that seriously should be considered,” Biden’s chief medical advisor Fauci recommended.

Reported by: Zaini Majeed
IMAGE: AP | Image:self
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The Biden administration must consider mandating the COVID-19 vaccination for domestic air travel,  suggested US top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, while stressing that "when you make vaccinations a requirement, that’s another incentive to get more people vaccinated." In an interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe", Biden’s chief medical advisor recommended, “if you want to do that with domestic flights, I think that’s something that seriously should be considered." He, however, refused to divulge whether he has made such a recommendation to US President Joe Biden, who last week told ABC that a recommendation on the same was made to him, though at the time, the US leader said that "it’s been considered" but such a rule “is not necessary.”

Protocols require the US passengers to wear masks to board planes and must keep it on for the entire duration of the flight. Proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test is also needed. President Joe Biden’s chief science adviser, however, recommended that vaccination must be mandated to boost the nation’s lagging vaccination rate and for safety and stronger protection on flights as the highly transmissible and mutated Omicron spreads.

But officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity with the US outlets, stated that mandating the vaccine on planes could trigger a host of logistical and legal concerns for the US travellers. Currently, the US-based airliners require only the foreign nationals travelling to the US to be fully vaccinated against the COVID-19. Hawaii requires a vaccine certificate for overseas travellers to avoid getting quarantined. 

Recommendation 'under consideration': Biden 

On Monday Biden stressed that the subject was under consideration. “They asked Dr. Fauci some more questions about everything from whether or not he thought he was going to move to test at home — I mean, on-air flights and that kind of thing,” he told reporters at the White House as he departed for a virtual meeting with governors. “My message is: If you need something, say something, and we’re going to have your back any way we can,” Biden said. He then lamented long queues for testing, as he stressed: “Seeing how tough it was for some folks to get a test this weekend shows that we have more work to do.” The White House, as per reports, earlier this week explored a domestic vaccination requirement for flights, or one requiring either vaccination or proof of negative test to ease the hassle and make flying safer for passengers.   

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Published December 28th, 2021 at 08:48 IST