Airport screener dies of COVID-19
2,885 TSA workers have tested positive for virus
A Transportation Security Administration employee in Denver died after contracting COVID-19, the agency said Tuesday.
Eduard Faktorovich, a TSA officer at Denver International Airport, died on Monday. A total of 2,885 TSA employees have tested positive for the coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, and nine have died.
“His death is a reminder to all of us at TSA of the ongoing seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the agency said in a statement. “We remain committed to continuing to take every precaution to help protect our workforce as well as airline travelers.”
Though air travel is down significantly from a year ago, it has slowly ticked back up in recent weeks. On Sunday, TSA reported that 978,297 travelers passed through airport security checkpoints.
On Oct. 18, the total crossed 1 million for the first time since March 16. A more typical day before the pandemic saw 2 million to 2.5 million travelers nationwide.
AAA projects that 2.4 million Americans will travel by air this Thanksgiving holiday weekend, down 47.5% from last year.
The volume of passengers and the close contact at security checkpoints make TSA personnel vulnerable to COVID-19, even with face masks, nitrile gloves and plexiglass shields.
Airports large and small have experienced coronavirus cases among TSA employees.
Faktorovich joined TSA in April 2018 and worked exclusively at the checkpoint in Denver. His last date on duty was Nov. 2.
“His colleagues remember him as a kind and respectful person, who always had a smile on his face,” the agency said.