by Donald Wood
Last updated: 8:25 AM ET, Tue January 5, 2021
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced it screened approximately 324 million passengers in 2020, a decline of around 39 percent from the previous year.
To help manage the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, the TSA modified security checkpoint procedures at more than 440 federalized airports nationwide to reduce physical contact and help protect workers and passengers.
TSA officials said 6,873 acrylic barriers were installed at 384 airports and another 927 CAT units were added to 125 locations. The CAT process allows passengers to scan their own ID and eliminate the need to hand the credential to a security officer.
In addition, the TSA requires all officers to wear face masks and gloves while on duty, with face shields also mandatory when there is no acrylic barrier in place. The agency will continue to disinfect frequently touched surfaces and encourage social distancing through signage.
"In 2020, TSA implemented significant operational changes across its entire security checkpoint environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic," TSA Administrator David Pekoske said. "The speed and degree of change was unmatched in our 19-year history."
"The flexibility and agility of the men and women across TSA is a testament to their dedication to our collective transportation security mission," Pekoske continued. "Our entire workforce, including screening officers, canine handlers, inspectors and federal air marshals, continues to do everything possible to protect our colleagues and airline passengers, and I am grateful for their adaptiveness and resilience."
As part of the ongoing "Stay Healthy. Stay Secure." campaign, a dedicated COVID-19 page is updated daily to provide information on daily travel volume, employee infections by airport, travel tips and general updates regarding operations.
Average Winter Holiday travel numbers continued to fluctuate between a low of 24 percent and a high of 61 percent per day when compared to the 2019 numbers. TSA anticipates daily travel totals will continue to rise steadily and follow seasonal patterns, but the agency expects volume will remain well below pre-pandemic levels through most of 2021.
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