US Transportation Secretary Not Pushing Vaccine Mandates for Domestic Air Travel

The United States Transportation Secretary said Sunday that he believes there are better ways to end the coronavirus pandemic than requiring proof of vaccination for domestic commercial flights.

According to The Washington Post, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told Chuck Todd of NBC’s “Meet the Press” that other strategies other than a vaccine mandate have been “highly effective” at curbing the COVID-19 outbreak.

Buttigieg said federal mask requirements for people taking public transportation and vaccine mandates for travel industry workers are making commercial air and general travel safer, but The Washington Post reported daily reported coronavirus cases in the United States have risen 12 percent over the past week.

The U.S. reopened to foreign travelers earlier this month who show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination and a negative test. Buttigieg said during the interview the U.S. government requires vaccines for international visitors “because different countries have different standards.”

Earlier this month, several lawmakers amplified their calls for domestic vaccine or testing mandates for air travel, calling the move “necessary and long overdue.” On the other hand, carriers called domestic vaccine mandate “logistically impractical” and “incredibly cumbersome.”

Infectious-disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said in an October interview that he doesn’t believe coronavirus vaccine mandates will be required for passengers on domestic flights “in the near future.”