The top infectious disease expert in the United States, Dr. Anthony Fauci, who is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), said that Americans should not even consider taking off their masks when on an airplane.

United States President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser made his comments during an interview on Sunday after being asked about a vaccine mandate for domestic air travel. Fauci said that the federal government wanted to make sure that travelers kept their masks on while traveling on airplanes.

Vaccine Mandate on Airplanes

On the other hand, Jonathan Karl, the host of ABC's This Week, said that despite airline CEOs suggesting that American travelers could now take off their masks; Fauci disagreed with the idea. The comment was a reference to a U.S. Senate panel hearing on Dec. 15, when Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly said that face masks did not add much protection against the coronavirus infection on airplanes, Fox News reported.

Fauci also said that a vaccine mandate on airplanes would be another mechanism that could urge Americans to get vaccinated against the coronavirus infection. The medical professional said that he welcomed anything that could encourage people to get inoculated.

During an MSNBC interview earlier this week, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that a vaccine mandate on airplanes could result in delayed flights. However, she added that the Biden administration would take the step if the health benefits were overwhelming.

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During a Dec. 3 press conference, a reporter asked President Biden whether or not he was considering imposing vaccine mandates for domestic travel, to which the Democrat answered no. "I think I know a fair amount about this issue. But I'm not a scientist. So I continue to rely on the scientists. Right now, they're saying no," said Biden, Fortune reported.

Delayed or Canceled Flights

The situation comes as more than 7,300 flights across the United States were delayed or canceled on Sunday due to the recent surge in coronavirus infections related to the Omicron variant. Of the 7,300 flight schedules, roughly 1,400 flights that were entering, leaving, or flying within the region were canceled while about 5,900 others were delayed, based on data from the tracking website FlightAware.

On Christmas Day, more than 4,000 flights were either delayed or canceled, marking continuous days of scheduling nightmares that have left travelers scrambling. Various airlines, including Delta, United, and JetBlue, have blamed the Omicron coronavirus variant for the recent scheduling issues.

A spokesperson for United, Maddie King, said that the situation was an unexpected turn of events. This year, airlines have experienced a recurring theme of flight delays and cancellations as they try to increase schedules to make up for the losses they suffered.

Thousands of workers were forced out of the industry last year when the aviation industry collapsed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The resurgence in demand has greatly outpaced the staffing efforts of companies worldwide.

Fauci's comments on a vaccine mandate for air travel come as many airlines in the United States require their workers to be fully vaccinated. The situation has sparked controversy among staff members as it is not required for most domestic passengers, USA Today reported.

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