The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened fewer than 100,000 passengers in consecutive days this week during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
TSA tallied just 94,931 travelers at checkpoints nationwide on Wednesday after screening only 97,130 on Tuesday.
The latest figures signal a dramatic dropoff from last year's numbers. For perspective, more than 2.3 million travelers were screened at airports nationwide on April 8, 2019.
"On Tuesday, 97,130 individuals were screened at TSA checkpoints nationwide. First time it's dipped lower than 100,000 during the pandemic. Yes, it's a record low. Exactly one year ago Tuesday, 2,091,056 people went through security checkpoints," TSA Public Affairs spokesperson Lisa Farbstein posted in a tweet.
Despite the decline in passenger numbers, TSA officers are facing increased risk due to the outbreak, with at least 49 employees testing positive for COVID-19 in the past two weeks, according to Fox News.
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