Rockefeller College Professor: TSA Public Health Corps Can Make Air Travel Safer

ALBANY, N.Y. (Sept. 1, 2020) – U.S. airlines are navigating uncharted territory as COVID-19 has forced new travel restrictions and significantly reduced demand. An estimated 75,000 employees could be at risk of losing their jobs next month when a $25 billion federal aid package that protects passenger carrier workers’ paychecks is set to expire.

Rey Koslowski, a professor of Political Science at Rockefeller College, believes that air travel can return to some normalcy through the establishment of a Public Health Corps within the Transportation Security Agency (TSA).

He recently shared his thoughts in an opinion article published by The Hill – a popular political news website based in Washington, D.C.

“Increasing air travel undercuts public health efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus... To reduce

disease transmission as air travel increases, the U.S. federal government should establish a Public Health Corps within the TSA to test all airline passengers and crew, beginning with airports serving coronavirus hotspots,” Koslowski wrote.

“TSA Public Health Corps officers could begin screening travelers with FDA approved antigen point-of-care tests that provide results within 15 minutes. Those who test positive would be referred to public health authorities for additional diagnostic testing, isolation and tracing of their contacts.”

Koslowski argues that Congress should appropriate funds for a TSA Public Health Corps staff, along with coronavirus tests and PPE sufficient enough to test all air travels at up to pre COVID-19 volume levels. While waiting for federal action, he believes states should begin now testing passengers arriving from areas with high levels of coronavirus infection.

His article has received an estimated 172,000 views, 133 comments and 64 shares on social media, as of Monday.