Airlines Seek Quick Coronavirus Tests for Passengers
2020-09-26
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1European airlines are aiming to give passengers quick, pre-flight coronavirus tests in an effort to get more travelers to start flying again.
2The tests could produce results in as little as 15 minutes.
3The airlines hope the effort will help convince passengers that flying is safe during the continuing health crisis.
4Germany's Lufthansa is in talks with Swiss drug company Roche over deploying the so-called antigen tests, the Reuters news agency reported.
5Several airlines are planning to make the tests available to passengers as early as next month, Reuters said.
6Officials for Italy's Alitalia told Reuters that the airline had added two flights from Milan to Rome that only accept passengers with negative coronavirus tests.
7Those flights are in addition to two it is already offering from Rome to Milan.
8Alitalia says health officials give the tests at the airport.
9The tests are included in ticket prices.
10The airline also said it plans to offer more antigen-tested flights within Italy and internationally if they prove to be popular and safe.
11Unlike the more commonly used laboratory-based molecular tests for COVID-19, antigen tests do not require machines to process.
12Much like pregnancy tests, they can produce results in about 15 minutes.
13However, the tests require collection of a nasal sample that can be unpleasant.
14They also have higher error rates than the molecular, or PCR, tests.
15Antigen tests generally produce more "false negatives," which could lead to some sick people getting on planes.
16An increasing number of antigen tests are becoming available from companies including Abbott Laboratories, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Quidel and Roche.
17Quick antigen tests that can be given by non-medical workers are expected to be available in the coming weeks, said Alexandre de Juniac.
18He is head of the International Air Transport Association.
19He added that the tests could cost as little as $7 each.
20Airlines have been pressing governments to come up with new safety measures to ease widespread travel restrictions that were put in place after Europe started seeing a rise in cases.
21Even though the tests are not perfect, airline companies hope they can help people feel safer about flying.
22"It is to give ... confidence, at a specific point in time, that the result is positive or negative," said Christian Paulus, a Roche research and development manager.
23He added that because of possible errors with antigen tests, results would need to be confirmed in some cases using the PCR method.
24A spokesman for Alitalia said none of its passengers who took the pre-flight antigen tests were positive.
25The airline said it plans to examine findings from its testing experiment in the middle of October before deciding whether to expand the program.
26Lufthansa Chief Executive Carsten Spohr recently told employees that the airline was in talks with Roche over deploying the tests.
27A Lufthansa spokeswoman told Reuters the airline believes the tests would be a better solution "than putting somebody into quarantine."
28Germany is considering wider antigen test use starting in October, including in nursing homes where older patients have been hardest hit by COVID-19.
29I'm Bryan Lynn.
1European airlines are aiming to give passengers quick, pre-flight coronavirus tests in an effort to get more travelers to start flying again. 2The tests could produce results in as little as 15 minutes. The airlines hope the effort will help convince passengers that flying is safe during the continuing health crisis. 3Germany's Lufthansa is in talks with Swiss drug company Roche over deploying the so-called antigen tests, the Reuters news agency reported. Several airlines are planning to make the tests available to passengers as early as next month, Reuters said. 4Officials for Italy's Alitalia told Reuters that the airline had added two flights from Milan to Rome that only accept passengers with negative coronavirus tests. Those flights are in addition to two it is already offering from Rome to Milan. 5Alitalia says health officials give the tests at the airport. The tests are included in ticket prices. The airline also said it plans to offer more antigen-tested flights within Italy and internationally if they prove to be popular and safe. 6Unlike the more commonly used laboratory-based molecular tests for COVID-19, antigen tests do not require machines to process. Much like pregnancy tests, they can produce results in about 15 minutes. 7However, the tests require collection of a nasal sample that can be unpleasant. They also have higher error rates than the molecular, or PCR, tests. Antigen tests generally produce more "false negatives," which could lead to some sick people getting on planes. 8An increasing number of antigen tests are becoming available from companies including Abbott Laboratories, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Quidel and Roche. 9Quick antigen tests that can be given by non-medical workers are expected to be available in the coming weeks, said Alexandre de Juniac. He is head of the International Air Transport Association. He added that the tests could cost as little as $7 each. 10Airlines have been pressing governments to come up with new safety measures to ease widespread travel restrictions that were put in place after Europe started seeing a rise in cases. 11Even though the tests are not perfect, airline companies hope they can help people feel safer about flying. 12"It is to give ... confidence, at a specific point in time, that the result is positive or negative," said Christian Paulus, a Roche research and development manager. He added that because of possible errors with antigen tests, results would need to be confirmed in some cases using the PCR method. 13A spokesman for Alitalia said none of its passengers who took the pre-flight antigen tests were positive. The airline said it plans to examine findings from its testing experiment in the middle of October before deciding whether to expand the program. 14Lufthansa Chief Executive Carsten Spohr recently told employees that the airline was in talks with Roche over deploying the tests. A Lufthansa spokeswoman told Reuters the airline believes the tests would be a better solution "than putting somebody into quarantine." 15Germany is considering wider antigen test use starting in October, including in nursing homes where older patients have been hardest hit by COVID-19. 16I'm Bryan Lynn. 17Reuters reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. 18We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. 19________________________________________________________________ 20Words in This Story 21negative - adj. in a medical test, negative means the person being tested does not have a disease or condition 22sample - n. a small amount of something that gives you information about the thing it was taken from 23confidence - n. a feeling of being sure in one's ability to do something 24positive - adj. in a medical test, positive means the person being tested has a disease or condition 25quarantine - n. to keep (a person or animal) away from others to prevent a disease from spreading