gsoltso

Currently, there is an increased focus on these steps. This is being done in order to try and stem some of the possible spread of the disease. Anyone that understands cross contamination at a basic level knows that it is simply a matter of time before someone pops positive (or at least has what is considered an exposure) at most (maybe even all) airports. The impact on domestic travel is going to be significant if we hit a rash of positives in short order. When working in the checkpoint, I change gloves every single time I touch someone, and I also dispose of the swab every single time I use one, and the rest of the workforce has had that emphasized as well. These are simple steps that are an attempt to impede the spread. We are refocusing locally, so there is more awareness at this moment. Any step that can help to at least slow down the spread of the disease is a positive at the moment. Nationally, the components of the FedGov are really trying to flatten the curve as much as possible. Of course, YMMV.

GUWonder

Do you change gloves every time you handle someone’s ID and paper/electronic boarding pass? If you do, thanks.

I’ve never seen any TSA TDCer do the glove change after being handed an ID or boarding pass from me or those in my travel parties.

Boggie Dog

That's all fine and good but contamination is not new. Screeners gloves contaminated with nitrates or other substances might test positive on the wrong person when used on successive travelers. I clearly recall numerous discussions about the difficulties of getting screeners to change gloves even when requested. The article in post #12 of this thread suggests that TSA has always had the policy to require glove change and swab disposal after each contact with a traveler. Is that current policy or a new policy put out in the last week or so?

Quote:

“Current TSA standard operating procedures require front-line personnel to wear nitrile gloves when screening an individual or their property, which adds an additional layer of protection,” the agency said in the email to Liccardo. “Gloves are changed after contact with any passenger or their personal property. Any swabs utilized as part of a screening procedure (checkpoint and checked baggage) would not be reused for multiple passengers.

I'm not happy about how we got to this point but now that TSA has finally figured out how to prevent cross-contamination I hope the policy isn't relaxed going forward. Gloves are not just for the protection of screeners!

gsoltso

I did not typically prior to this, however, I have been using hand sanitizer between documents since things escalated with this pandemic. I can't indicate what HQ has put out to us directly, but it the on my end at this time, sanitizer is an imperfect solution, to a difficult situation (in terms of cross contamination).

rolling_stone

I know some of you love to nitpick TSA but can’t even begin to count how many times I have seen a passenger put their boarding pass and ID in their mouth at TDC in order to have their hands free to put their bag down down and then take it out of their mouth and hand it over to the officer...disgusting!

GUWonder

I have seen that a lot and it has been part of my considerations over the years. I have mentioned before that the TSA TDC being scrapped would reduce the spread of disease and be good for the health of passengers and the TSA employees.

The ink in the boarding passes may even be carcinogenic.

Boggie Dog

Not to beat a dead horse but this article suggests that screeners changing gloves between passengers is optional, not mandatory.

There is a TSA Twitter video mentioned in the piece, video link follows.

Twitter link shows in edit but won't post here. Link is in article.

Coronavirus: Here's what to expect at the airport – including TSA procedure

Have to wonder what the truth is? Is TSA wordsmithing to deflect responsibility and accountability. Unclear messaging is certainly not helpful at this critical point in time. Probably safest action is to avoid TSA encounters until, well, for everyone's safety just avoid TSA always.

TWA884

Folks,

While some natural deviation from the topic of the thread is acceptable, please keep the focus of the discussion on the ramifications to the flying public from TSA screeners who tested positive for COVID-19.

We have had plenty of threads arguing about whether screeners do or should change gloves between passengers. AFAIK, making a contagious screener wear gloves will not protect passengers from the risk of getting infected by the screener.

Thank you for your anticipated cooperation,

TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator

gsoltso

Currently? The focus has been change gloves much more frequently. The information I have seen published indicates after every time that a TSO touches a passenger, they are to change gloves - of course, I have also seen articles posted that indicate exactly what you quoted above. I can tell you that locally, we are changing gloves after every time we touch a passenger. These rules have changed a number of times over the years, so I do not anticipate that the way we use PPE will remain static - especially in a pandemic setting. Remember, in events like this, things don't change, don't change, don't change - boom everything changed over night. I expect that we will see additional changes to process and how we conduct the screening as we move further into the outbreak, which is natural. We change things as we learn new information. I would like to have one centralized voice on the changes, but it does not seem like all of the .GOV information outlets are on script 100% - so one group words it a little different, and the meaning can be left open for interpretation. You will not hear me say things like this often, but avoiding as many people as possible (including TSA, in terms of close proximity engagements) right now will help to increase the odds of you not contracting it.

I think we are still on the leading edge of this thing, and as we move forward, the impact on travel will be increased as more TSOs test positive, or experience a valid exposure. Depending upon rates, we may even be facing a partial shutdown of travel. My airport is a ghost town right this moment, and reports from contacts at larger airports indicate similar experiences. I am not certain where we are headed with this, but there is no question that it is having a huge impact on travel already, and as more industry workers test positive (TSOs included), that impact will increase.

Boggie Dog

I don't want to see any additional TSA screeners contract this virus but think we all realize people in public contact environments are at greater risk than those who can control their exposure to some degree. If TSA procedures place the public at greater risk then those procedures need to be changed for now.

What I was trying to suss out is if the glove change policy has always been after each contact, if this is new policy, or if it is still optional. That would help me know whether to risk air travel and a potential TSA hands on encounter. The risk to both passengers and TSA screeners go up for any hands on contact procedures.

I agree that the U.S. is in the early stages of infection. The next few weeks will be difficult, a lot of people in public facing jobs will be infected as will people who have not isolated. Even then that might not be enough to avoid exposure. People like me with higher health risks may die if (or when) infected.

Be safe!

gsoltso

We are changing gloves in more situations than ever here (and not just when patting down folks), we are pushing out and enforcing the every person rule here. I have seen no public declaration that TSOs WILL/MUST change their gloves after each contact with passengers, but that is the same reports I am getting from contacts all over, is that they are changing gloves after each passenger. The swabs are a true statement, we are tossing them after one use.

I can't promise you anything - I really wish I could, but I am not at the airports that you fly through. I would say reach out to the airports you will fly through and see whether they are currently engaged in the practice of changing gloves after each passenger. That way you will have as much info as possible about the actual locations you are heading to.

I understand the higher risk category challenges quite well, due to family members. This version seems to be striking the older and folks with underlying health issues the hardest. I hope that you and yours stay well through this. Hopefully you will not have it at all.

TWA884

Now in Cleveland.

TSA agent at Cleveland Hopkins Airport tests positive for coronavirus

GUWonder

How many of the infected TSA employees working at airports were doing the passenger ID/boarding pass checks? When at US airports dealing with TSA, it’s the TSA employees doing ID/boarding pass checks that are most likely to be within less than 2-3 feet of the most passengers’ faces. While it’s possible the infected TSA employees got this virus from someone beside a passenger and passed the virus onto others beside passengers encountered at the screening checkpoint, the risk to the passengers is greater when the infected one is a TSA employee doing the ID checking than when it’s the cabin baggage-scanner operator.

TSA should be doing the right thing by all passengers at US airports of relevance and providing complete and detailed information about who was put at risk by the TSA and where and when and how the passengers may have been put at risk of this virus by the TSA. If this information leads to more calls for the TSA to change or eliminate existing policies and practices, then welcome to progress.

Boggie Dog

I noted in TWA884's post that a TSA screener at FLL tested positive. A high number of cruise ship passengers departing out of Port Everglades arrive and depart at FLL, which is adjacent to the port. Just a couple of weeks ago some cruise ship passenger greeters at Port Everglades tested positive for the virus. Who knows if the screener encountered a cruise passenger, who made contact with a passenger or some other scenario happened but the possibilities do illustrate the many ways this virus can spread.

Any mass transportation center is likely to help spread the virus and people like TSA screeners are at high risk to not only contract but to spread the virus.

petaluma1

Amen.