Prognosis

CDC Director Says Preflight Covid Tests May Ease Spread

Walensky urges states, cities not to lift Covid restrictions
Fauci discourages giving one of two doses to expand capacity

Watch: Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, suggests that testing people for the coronavirus before U.S. domestic flights could help reduce transmission. (Source: Bloomberg)

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By Angelica Peebles and Josh Wingrove

February 8, 2021 at 5:30 PM UTC

Updated on

February 9, 2021 at 4:30 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggested that testing people for the coronavirus before U.S. domestic flights could help reduce transmission, as she urged state and local leaders to maintain steps to limit Covid-19’s spread.

Requiring air travelers to receive a negative coronavirus test before boarding could be “another mitigation measure,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said Monday during a press briefing. She didn’t say whether the CDC would move forward with the policy, which the Biden administration is actively considering.