Working with airlines on pre-flight COVID-19 tests: Trump
Washington/Sputnik/UNI: The United States may introduce mandatory novel coronavirus (COVID-19) tests for international flights passengers arriving from areas significantly affected by the COVID-19 disease, US President Donald Trump told reporters.
"We are... setting up a system where we do some testing. We are working with airlines on that," Trump said on Tuesday during a White House meeting with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who raised the issue.
Trump added that passengers may be required to pass preflight temperature checks and take virus tests.
The US president clarified his statement later, saying the possible regulation will pertain to flights from certain foreign countries rather than being a blanket measure.
"We are looking at doing it on the international flights coming out of areas that are heavily infected," Trump said.
Both Trump and DeSantis highlighted Brazil as a country of particular concern.
The United State previously imposed travel bans on China and European countries in an attempt curb the spread of COVID-19.
Trump also called mandating wearing face masks during passenger flights "a good idea."
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