The TSA on Friday examined 1,580,785 people at US airports, a record since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
Why does it matter: The figures come a day after the director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Rochelle Walensky, said that while the agency now says that fully vaccinated people can travel at low risk, the CDC is still not recommending non-essential travel due to the increase in virus cases, reports the NPR.
The big picture: TSA has reported more than 1 million passengers screened daily since March 11.
- Mark Howell, a TSA spokesman, told Axios that the increase was due to spring break.
Yes but: “It is too early to say that travel is back. After all, TSA’s screening numbers are still small compared to pre-pandemic passenger levels, ”writes CBS News.
What they are saying: The agency is preparing for an increase in travel during the summer months, Howell told Axios.
- In February, TSA said it intended to hire 6,000 new officers by the summer.
- Although the agency expects a potential increase in travel, they do not know whether the summer numbers will reach pre-pandemic levels.