Biden Team Cool to Preflight Virus Tests Floated by DOT, CDC
- Buttigieg, Walensky floated requiring tests for U.S. flights
- Analyst sees requirement reducing domestic travel demand
Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg
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President Joe Biden’s administration isn’t seriously considering an imminent coronavirus testing requirement for domestic air travel, people familiar with the matter said.
The prospect of requiring tests within the U.S. was floated this month by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Rochelle Walensky, the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It sparked a flurry of reaction from airlines and unions with the industry already suffering significant financial losses and job cuts due to the pandemic.