Associated Press
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, said Monday the U.S. should consider a vaccination mandate for domestic air travel, signaling a potential embrace of an idea the Biden administration has previously eschewed, as COVID-19 cases spike.
Fauci, President Joe Biden’s chief science adviser on the pandemic response, said such a mandate might drive up the nation’s lagging vaccination rate as well as confer stronger protection on flights, for which federal regulations require all those aged 2 and older to wear a mask.
“When you make vaccination a requirement, that’s another incentive to get more people vaccinated,” Fauci told MSNBC. “If you want to do that with domestic flights, I think that’s something that seriously should be considered.”
The Biden administration has thus far balked at imposing a vaccination requirement for domestic air travel. Two officials said Biden’s science advisers have yet to make a formal recommendation for such a requirement to the president.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said a vaccine mandate on planes could trigger a host of logistical and legal concerns.
The U.S. currently mandates that most foreign nationals traveling to the U.S. be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, though citizens and permanent residents only need to show proof of a negative test taken within a day of boarding.
Federal rules don’t require people travelling by air within the U.S. to show a negative test. Hawaii requires travelers to test or show proof of vaccination to avoid a mandatory quarantine.
Biden did not respond to questions on whether he was considering implementing a domestic air travel vaccination requirement, but he told reporters that the subject was discussed on a call with the nation’s governors Monday morning.
“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,” Biden said of the call before departing the White House for his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
Earlier this year the White House explored a domestic vaccination requirement for flights, or one requiring either vaccination or proof of negative test. But officials have not been eager to mandate vaccination for domestic air travel because they expected it to face immediate legal challenges, mitigating its potential effectiveness as a tool to drive up vaccinations.
Pressed last week on why Biden had not mandated vaccinations for domestic air travel, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told MSNBC that “we know that masking can be, is, very effective on airplanes.”
“We also know that putting in place that additional restriction might delay flights, might have additional implications,” she added. “We would do it, though, if the health impact was overwhelming. So we rely always on the advice of our health and medical experts. That isn’t a step at this point that they had determined we need to take.”
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show more than 241 million Americans, about 77% of the eligible population aged 5 and over, have received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine. Officials believe, though, that there is some over-count in the figures due to record-keeping errors in the administration of booster shots.
Since the summer, the Biden administration has embraced various vaccination requirements as a way to get unvaccinated Americans to roll up their sleeves. It has instituted requirements that federal workers, federal contractors, and those who work in health care get their shots, and that employers with 100 or more employees institute vaccination-or-testing requirements for their workers.
Those vaccination requirements have been mired in legal wrangling, with the Supreme Court set to hear arguments Jan. 7 in cases seeking to overturn them.
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Republished with permission from The Associated Press.
24 comments
Alex
December 27, 2021 at 4:16 pm
I wonder what the new vicious lie the far-right comes up with about him will be.
They’ve really been dragging the bottom of irrelevancies recently, and still have nothing.
PeterH
December 27, 2021 at 4:26 pm
Obviously it’s time for the airlines to step up in the fight to encourage people to get vaccinated. 61.7% of Americans are fully vaccinated. Imposing a vaccine passport to fly will accomplish two things:
1. It will encourage those unvaccinated who wish to travel to get vaccinated.
2. It will allow pilots, flight attendants, baggage handlers, flight check-in staff, airport security and vaccinated flight passengers some assurances that they are reasonably safe.
The government cannot mandate the airlines …. but this brilliant word of encouragement from Dr. Fauci gives the airlines the cover they need to mandate vaccination. Include the flu vaccine in the mandate.
Tom
December 29, 2021 at 6:29 am
Wah Wah, where are my Elmo slippers.
Peter h., besides pathetic Fauci
( over 800,000 deceased) shutting his mouth, you need to do the same. As if Fauci had been correct on anything. Wear your two masks per Fauci.
To be clear you incompetent weasel peter h, any type of new mandate on airlines will decimate the industry.
Your ignorance is overwhelming.
djus A. soul
January 10, 2022 at 2:30 pm
Damn straight, tell them fools who love fauci where to go! The Masses r ignorant butt holes
Kathy
December 27, 2021 at 6:10 pm
After 18 years in nursing (the last 10 in ICU), my dear friend is retiring early. She is devastated with her decision. Her reality is the fact that almost 100% of her patients are unvaccinated. Not only, selfishly putting every person in the hospital at risk (from janitorial to surgeons), but causing health professionals to be diagnosed with PTSD. The final phone calls between dying patients and their families, many times their children, are haunting and causing sleepless nights. I can’t understand the total disregard for human life. The science is easily understood. Trump did such a fine job of brow beating people who were doing the right thing that his followers actually booed their idol when he admitted to getting the booster shot. Well done. Burial costs for those who are unvaccinated should not be covered by the Government. Common sense has gone by the wayside and replaced by downright stupidity.
PeterH
December 27, 2021 at 7:02 pm
Beautifully said Kathy. I’m at a loss for words.
Tom
December 28, 2021 at 6:56 am
Peter h where are your Elmo slippers.
Wah Wah, peter h.
You are a Lincoln predator Org supporter.
Jerry
December 27, 2021 at 8:33 pm
Oh spare me the sob stories. I know people who work in healthcare personally. They tell me the majority of patients in hospitals for COVID are vaccinated. The vaccine isn’t stopping the virus. Thousands of nurses are being fired now because of vaccine mandates. They don’t want these vaccines either! And they are willing to give up their careers so not get it.
I have family members that are suffering side effects from these vaccines. That’s all the proof I need to know these vaccines aren’t as safe as they claim. It’s only a year old! It takes several YEARS of studies and research before you can approve a drug. But they want to mandate this garbage already?
If Trump wants it. That’s fine! If you want it! That’s fine! But I don’t want it. And neither you nor the government can force me. They do not control what gets put in my body.
Concern Citizen
December 28, 2021 at 11:45 am
Jerry, you are spreading BS in your comment. Kathy had the facts, you had the vitriolic BS.
Also, why is DeSantis not giving parents the freedom to decide if their children need the various vaccination required to attend K-12 schools in Florida? It’s their body, their decision, not the Governors.
It looks like Trump’s Operation Warp Speed to bring a Covid vaccine to the market was a bust in your statement.
Jerry
December 27, 2021 at 8:23 pm
Dr. Doom wants to kill the airline industry now.
Notice all these mandates these tyrants keep trying to force on me and other American citizens. But they refuse to even talk about the thousands of people pouring across our southern border without even being tested.
And I don’t know what it will take for people like Fauci to understand…. I WILL NEVER EVER TAKE THIS VACCINE! I have family members who are suffering side effects right now from these shots. My uncle has paralysis on the side of his face! I see it with my own eyes! Back in August a neighbor of mine spent 3 weeks in the hospital due to a reaction. And all these stupid corrupt doctors keep saying is that these vaccines are “safe and effective?” It’s an insult to my intelligence! Stop lying to my face! Vaccinated people are still catching the virus. And Pfizer is making billions in profits and you can’t even sue them if something is wrong. Now we have a senile old man in the White House trying to jam these needles into everyone’s arm…..a vaccine that’s only a year old. This is disgusting!
djus A. soul
January 10, 2022 at 2:33 pm
We have a better chance of surviving gettn jabd by Mike Tyson than gettn jabd by this bloodclot ouchi shot…Babylon’s burning…
Tom
December 28, 2021 at 6:23 am
Hey get your mouth shut Fauci.
You don’t get to decide.
Total diversion from the over 800,000 dead on your watch. More deceased in past year. Atrocious. Kathy your partisan attacks are clear, shameful.
Biden punts away from responsibility on Covid, telling Govs it’s a local issue. What a joke, liar as all you Manchurians would scream if #45 said that.
What were these people doing the past year?
Not enough take home tests were produced. No monoclonals we’re approved as he has no fda commish still. New Monos are months away.
His disapproval means a major election shakeup. 50 to 60 nest House seats flipping.
No present leadership.
America’s Gov DeSantis gets re-elected in Nov/22. Govs mansion Tallahassee to WH in 24.
Concern Citizen
December 28, 2021 at 11:34 am
Again, Tom is not able to read. Dr. Fauci does not decide — he can only suggest alternatives.
Tom
December 28, 2021 at 6:31 pm
I read perfectly!
Fauci has 800,000 deceased In 2 yrs.
Biden more deceased in 21 compared to Trump in 20.
DeSantis the best!
Re-elect Nov 22, America’s Gov.
Tallahassee to WH.
FP Monitor
December 28, 2021 at 11:40 am
It’s a big mistake is to respond to anything Tom posts. He’s an arrogant ignorant Trumpster hack simply looking for the attention he doesn’t get from friends or family. Do yourself and ALL OF US a big favor. Ignore all of his return comments. Maybe the internet troll will go away.
Concern Citizen
December 28, 2021 at 3:32 pm
Tom the Troll is not going away. You are correct – he does not get any attention from family members. But you are incorrect about friends — he doesn’t have any friends. Not even Jerry would befriend Tom the Troll.
Tom
December 28, 2021 at 6:21 pm
Kiss my ass you Manchurian pud!
You are a lackey dummycrat.
Tom
December 28, 2021 at 6:25 pm
F P monitor, aka dummycrat Manchurian robot.
Kathy
December 28, 2021 at 9:37 am
My point has been made without attacking anyone else posting a remark. “Sob story”? Wow.
Tom
December 28, 2021 at 6:18 pm
You are full of bull jive!
Just a partisan Manchurian. Fake news of nurses holding up garbage bags as fake body hospital gear last year,. Hey unconcern citizen, Fauci needs to shut his mouth. Over 800,000 have perished under his watch, more under Biden. Fauci told everyone to wear 2 masks. Fauci lied, people died.
What has Biden been doing? No tests avail, no fda commish still , no new monos on market, avail.
Trump handed them 3 vaccines & 2 monos.
DeSantis America’s Gov, the best! Re-elect Nov 22. Tallahassee to W H. It’s done!
Tom
December 28, 2021 at 8:21 pm
You made no point, you cheap partisan hack!
You Manchurian s go to hell!
Enjoy.
FP Monitor
December 28, 2021 at 9:33 pm
It’s a big mistake is to respond to anything Tom posts. He’s an arrogant ignorant Trumpster hack simply looking for the attention he doesn’t get from friends or family. Do yourself and ALL OF US a big favor. Ignore all of his return comments. Maybe the internet troll will go away.
Rom
December 28, 2021 at 9:52 pm
FP monitor, iF U C K, tell her Y O U.
Go to hell with the Manchurians.
Party of Niki Fraud, giggles Harris , shifty Schiff,
Party of woke a joke.
Pathetic!
Tom
December 30, 2021 at 12:34 pm
Pension of $400,000 plus for this fauci guy, who monitored 800,000 Covid dead. Not blaming him like you Manchurians selectively blame #45 and purposefully not blame Biden and his Fauci doll. Another example of woke a joke. Classic Dummycrat hypocrites.
Comments are closed.