United Will Test Passengers for COVID-19
Airlines have already been taking measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as passengers start flying again. Airlines are keeping middle seats empty, implemented new cleaning procedures and more. But now United Airlines is going one step further, by introducing rapid-response COVID-19 tests.
United Airlines will become the first US airline to offer testing to some of its passengers. This will initially be a pilot testing program for Hawaii-bound passengers beginning October 15 out of San Francisco, WDHD reports. This will help visitors to Hawaii to avoid quarantine requirements as the state starts opening up.
Hawaii will lift a two-week quarantine requirement for arriving travelers on October 15, as long as they test negative for coronavirus within 72 hours of their departure. United passengers will have to pay for the COVID-19 test, but the pricing has not been announced yet.
The COVID-19 test will be conducted in the international terminal and results will be provided in about 15 minutes. Testing will be provided by health technology company Abbott. Customers will have a mail-in option that can be completed in the days before departure.
If successful, this COVID-19 testing pilot program will make it easier for travelers to visit countries and regions where entry is prohibited unless they show a recent test with negative results.
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[…] will start seeing more and faster Covid tests enter our lives. Including airlines: United Will Be First US Airline to Test Passengers on Flights to Hawaii. It is a pilot program and let’s see how it goes. The other thing is, you know, the phucking […]
Completely useless. As every passenger can select if they want to get tested or not. So what if they get infected during the flight? The once with the negative test before departure don’t have to quarantine and therefore can go and enjoy themselves, while everyone else has to quarantine 14 days. So if one gets infected during the flight but tested negative before departure, they can happily spread it everywhere. Stupid!
Not completely useless. Everyone is required to have a test within 3 days. There’s still a chance someone will board who is infected since their test, but that chance is reduced and the probability that someone will get infected from someone else on the flight is less. It doesn’t have to be 100% perfect to have value.
It’s funny how Hawaii will use taxpayer dollars to stay afloat while at the same time refusing to let those same taxpayers visit without some dang near impossible test result.
It’s their choice to isolate but it should be taxpayers choice not to support them.
My opinion would be very different if test results were readily available in 72 hours but that’s not the situation and their governor is fully aware of the time it takes to get results.
The question is will the test actually be accurate? I always wonder when they say “rapid test” what are they sacrificing to get it done quickly.
Otherwise, it becomes just like these stupid health screenings that are a total waste of time. I do one every morning before my kids go to school – we just hit no, no, no, no. I don’t need a health screening to tell me whether or not to send my kids to school.
CNBC just said the cost of the test is $250 that the passenger will have to pay. If that is correct, that is pretty steep. Will cost me $1000 to have 4 of us tested. no thanks – i will find somewhere else to go.