Some Miami airport travelers will be asked to have their noses swabbed
Some travelers flying into Miami from other countries are being asked to do a nose swab to test for COVID-19 variants and other contagious viruses as part of a nationwide effort to track new and emerging infectious diseases.
Nose-swabbing began Tuesday at Miami International Airport as part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s travelerbased genomic surveillance program. Other major airports are also in the program.
Sticking a swab up your nose at MIA will be voluntary, anonymous and free, according to the CDC. People who participate will also answer a short survey that includes demographic and travelrelated questions, including age, information on travel destinations and the reason for traveling.
You must be at least 18 for the swabbing and survey. And yes, there is a prize.
Travelers will see signs, a table and staff promoting the testing as they are exiting Customs in Terminal D. The CDC says the swab and survey will take about two to five minutes. At the moment, the CDC will be testing MIA travelers for COVID but will expand the testing to include flu and RSV.
But don’t confuse this with the Miami airport
COVID-testing sites that travelers frequented during the pandemic. Travelers who agree to the nasal-swabbing won’t be told their results, according to The Associated Press. However, they will get a free COVID athome test kit.
The program’s goal is to help public-health officials get a better grip on what germs are coming into the U.S. so they can make more informed decisions and be better prepared for potential outbreaks, according to the CDC.
And while Miami’s surveillance has just begun, the CDC says the program’s soft launch has been “very well received by passengers and employee personnel” and that it expects to expand its collection capabilities