- Vaccine mandate for US domestic travel criticized.
- Vaccination requirement proposed for air travel.
- US public support for air travel vaccine mandate is growing.
U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on comments made by White House Chief Medical Advisor to the President Dr. Anthony Fauci in support of a vaccine mandate for domestic air travel:
“The science—including studies from the Harvard School of Public Health and the U.S. Department of Defense—overwhelmingly points to the safety of air travel as long as masks are worn. And with the federal mask mandate for all forms of public transportation and U.S. airports extended through January 2022, proper tools are already in place to enable safe air travel for Americans.
“U.S. Travel Association has long maintained that there should be no mandatory vaccination requirement for domestic travel. Such a policy would have an unfair, negative impact on families with young children who are not yet eligible to get the vaccine.”
“While U.S. Travel does not endorse a national vaccine mandate, we continue to believe that vaccines are the fastest path back to normalcy for all, and we strongly encourage all who are eligible to get a vaccine immediately to protect themselves, their families and their neighbors.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House chief medical adviser, recently voiced his support for a COVID-19 vaccination requirement for US domestic air travel. “I would support that if you want to get on a plane and travel with other people that you should be vaccinated,” he said.
In August, 2021, Canada issued a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all domestic plane, train and cruise ship travel.
In US public support for a vaccine mandate for air passengers also keeps growing, according to a recent Gallup poll. More than six in 10 Americans (61%) now support requiring proof of full vaccination before getting on a plane — up from 57% in April 2021.
