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Am J Public Health
. 2023 Jun 15;e1-e5.
doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2023.307325. Online ahead of print. SARS-CoV-2 Cases Reported on International Arriving and Domestic Flights: United States, January 2020-December 2021
Leigh Ellyn Preston 1 , Araceli Rey 1 , Simone Dumas 1 , Andrea Rodriguez 1 , Alida M Gertz 1 , Kristin C Delea 1 , Francisco Alvarado-Ramy 1 , Deborah L Christensen 1 , Clive Brown 1 , Tai-Ho Chen 1
Affiliations
Objectives. To describe trends in the number of air travelers categorized as infectious with SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; the virus that causes COVID-19) in the context of total US COVID-19 vaccinations administered, and overall case counts of SARS-CoV-2 in the United States. Methods. We searched the Quarantine Activity Reporting System (QARS) database for travelers with inbound international or domestic air travel, a positive SARS-CoV-2 lab result, and a surveillance categorization of SARS-CoV-2 infection reported during January 2020 to December 2021. Travelers were categorized as infectious during travel if they had arrival dates from 2 days before to 10 days after symptom onset or a positive viral test. Results. We identified 80 715 persons meeting our inclusion criteria; 67 445 persons (83.6%) had at least 1 symptom reported. Of 67 445 symptomatic passengers, 43 884 (65.1%) reported an initial symptom onset date after their flight arrival date. The number of infectious travelers mirrored the overall number of US SARS-CoV-2 cases. Conclusions. Most travelers in the study were asymptomatic during travel, and therefore unknowingly traveled while infectious. During periods of high community transmission, it is important for travelers to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations and consider wearing a high-quality mask to decrease the risk of transmission. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print June 15, 2023:e1-e5. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307325).
. 2023 Jun 15;e1-e5.
doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2023.307325. Online ahead of print. SARS-CoV-2 Cases Reported on International Arriving and Domestic Flights: United States, January 2020-December 2021
Leigh Ellyn Preston 1 , Araceli Rey 1 , Simone Dumas 1 , Andrea Rodriguez 1 , Alida M Gertz 1 , Kristin C Delea 1 , Francisco Alvarado-Ramy 1 , Deborah L Christensen 1 , Clive Brown 1 , Tai-Ho Chen 1
Affiliations
- PMID: 37319391
- DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2023.307325
Objectives. To describe trends in the number of air travelers categorized as infectious with SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; the virus that causes COVID-19) in the context of total US COVID-19 vaccinations administered, and overall case counts of SARS-CoV-2 in the United States. Methods. We searched the Quarantine Activity Reporting System (QARS) database for travelers with inbound international or domestic air travel, a positive SARS-CoV-2 lab result, and a surveillance categorization of SARS-CoV-2 infection reported during January 2020 to December 2021. Travelers were categorized as infectious during travel if they had arrival dates from 2 days before to 10 days after symptom onset or a positive viral test. Results. We identified 80 715 persons meeting our inclusion criteria; 67 445 persons (83.6%) had at least 1 symptom reported. Of 67 445 symptomatic passengers, 43 884 (65.1%) reported an initial symptom onset date after their flight arrival date. The number of infectious travelers mirrored the overall number of US SARS-CoV-2 cases. Conclusions. Most travelers in the study were asymptomatic during travel, and therefore unknowingly traveled while infectious. During periods of high community transmission, it is important for travelers to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations and consider wearing a high-quality mask to decrease the risk of transmission. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print June 15, 2023:e1-e5. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307325).