As the United States continues to struggle with a high number of Covid-19 cases, proposed legislation has been put forward that would require all airline and train passengers in the U.S. to provide proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid-19 test to travel.
New Legislation Proposes Vaccine or Testing Mandate For Domestic Travel
While the U.S. government has extended the mask mandate until 2022, with fines now doubled, there is currently no testing or vaccination requirements for domestic air or train travel.
However, this could change with the proposed legislation, called the Safe Travel Act. It would require all passengers, employees, contractors, and subcontractors of Amtrak and commercial airlines to show that they have either been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or tested negative for the virus within 72 hours of travel.
Don Beyer, a United States Representative who sits on the House Ways and Means Committee, said on Thursday that “requiring airport and Amtrak travelers and employees to provide a proof of COVID vaccine or negative test is just common sense.”
“These are easy steps we can take to make travel safer, as companies like United have already demonstrated with responsible policy changes,” he added, referring to the airline’s requirement for all U.S. employees to get vaccinated against Covid-19.
Beyer argued that “Americans want a return to normal that includes traveling for business or pleasure, and Congress can help make people comfortable traveling again by putting basic requirements in place that prevent the spread of Covid.”
Despite leading the way with vaccinations at the beginning of the year, the U.S. is now falling to one of the lowest vaccination rates of G7 countries, with just over 54% of the population fully vaccinated. The vaccination curve has leveled dramatically since an initial surge in the first half of this year.
A new map by the CDC depicting the risk of Covid-19 in countries across the globe shows the US is one of the riskiest places to visit amid the pandemic. It has a Level 4 “very high” designation as the Delta variant continues to sweep through the country.
Domestic travel is no doubt having an impact on the number of Covid-19 cases in the country. The number of travelers almost reached 2019 levels over labor day weekend despite the CDC asking unvaccinated travelers to stay home.
Fauci Says He Supports Vaccine Requirements For Air Travel
Anthony Fauci said in an interview that he would support vaccine requirements for air travel.
“I would support that, if you want to get on a plane and travel with other people that you should be vaccinated,” Fauci said. He also doubled down on his support for student vaccine mandates, arguing that such an inoculation policy exists for other diseases.
The requirement to be vaccinated for air travel is growing in popularity around the world. Canada has said that it will make proof of vaccination mandatory for domestic flights, while Australian airline Qantas said it will ban unvaccinated travelers from international flights.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
T
Sunday 19th of September 2021
A vaccine? These Covid vaccines do not cause the body to create immunity to the disease, only 1 particular spike protein which is why they wane in efficacy in a relatively short period of time (hence the boosters). If you want to get the vaccine that is a decision you should make privately. If you have, unfortunately, contacted COVID 19 and recovered your natural immunity far surpasses any of the vaccines. Why is this never part of the dialogue?
Atlas
Tuesday 14th of September 2021
Complete nonsense. So these tyrants want to force me to take a dangerous experimental drug for an illness that is not particularly dangerous to me or the overwhelming majority of civilization, or else I am to be locked inside my home like a prisoner? Meanwhile, we are told that this risky experimental drug does not prevent me from contracting or spreading the mostly harmless virus and I still have to wear a mask (that does nothing anyway and is only a symbol of submission). Absolute nonsense. It is criminal what they are doing.
Martina
Monday 13th of September 2021
The vaccine does not prevent transmission, I know several people that have gotten covid and learned that one person died even after being vaccinated. When is this non sense going to stop?
John
Monday 13th of September 2021
Activate everything possible to stop the spread of DELTA. COVID PASSPORT should have been mandatory couple
Christian
Tuesday 14th of September 2021
@John, it has been proven that the antibodies from a so called vaccine are ineffective against a mutation such as Delta, because, unlike the antibodies that stem from the natural immunity, they are specific. This means when there is a new variant, a new vaccine has to be developed. By the time the new vaccine is developed another new variant already forms. So the vaccines will always be chasing after new variants that are miles ahead of technology. This is clearly not a solution.
Martina
Monday 13th of September 2021
@John, yeah and then there is mu, gamma, lambda. Move to Europe or Canada so you can live under tyranny
Michael Roden
Monday 13th of September 2021
"Papers please!"
Scary stuff but hold the line and do not comply.