Infrastructure

TSA Adds More COVID-19 Protections At Airports

These changes come after the top TSA official in Kansas said in a whistleblower complaint that the agency was not protecting its staff from COVID-19.

TSA Adds More COVID-19 Protections At Airports
Tony Gutierrez / AP
SMS

The TSA is trying to better protect its employees and passengers during the coronavirus pandemic by implementing more changes for airport screenings. 

In order to help prevent cross-contamination, all TSA agents are now required to either clean or change their gloves between each interaction with a passenger. Agents are also now wearing both a face mask and a face shield. And individual screens have been put up in various locations where passengers and TSA agents can't social distance, like at the ID check station. 

The new measures were added in the midst of the TSA screening almost 2.7 million people at airports over the July Fourth holiday weekend.

These changes come after the top TSA official in Kansas said in a whistleblower complaint that the agency was not protecting its staff during the pandemic. 

The TSA says that as of Friday, more than 1,000 of its employees have contracted COVID-19.