American Airlines to offer at-home COVID-19 tests for passengers
Despite American Airlines' efforts, Dr. Anthony Fauci says Christmas traveling is still a risk.
American Airlines is taking customer service to the next level.
The airline service has linked up with LetsGetChecked to provide pre-flight Covid-19 tests. The tests will be provided to those flying to U.S. states with travel restrictions and is the first U.S. airline to provide the service to domestic travelers. The company already offers an at-home test for those flying to international countries that require a negative test result per arrival.
Read More: Dr. Fauci and Byron Allen talk COVID-19 pandemic outlook for Black America
“We’ve made great strides to help open international travel with our testing partners, and we recognize the need for similar domestic travel solutions,” per American Airlines Chief Customer Officer Alison Taylor in a press release obtained by ABC News. “As travel requirements continue to quickly evolve, we’re simplifying the research and COVID-19 testing fulfillment process for an overall more seamless travel experience.”
The tests run $129 each and will be available starting on Dec. 12.
According to letsgetchecked.com, its Covid-19 test, “requires a gentle lower nasal swab to be collected by you in the home. The test-kit comes with a UPS next-day air return shipping label to send your sample back to our lab. Your sample is analysed in our lab using gold standard RT-PCR/TMA to confirm the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. We aim to deliver your result within 24-72 hours of your sample being received in our laboratory.”
But despite Covid-19 testing becoming even more readily available, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, says Christmas traveling is still a risk.
Read More: Dr. Fauci says virus vaccine could be available for all Americans by April
On Monday he told CNN, “I think it could be even more of a challenge than what we saw with Thanksgiving,” said the doctor. “I hope that people realize that and understand that as difficult as this is, nobody wants to modify – if not essentially shut down – their holiday season, but we are in a very critical time in this country right now.”
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