Whistleblower slams TSA virus response
The TSA is culpable in aiding the spread of Covid-19 by not protecting its workforce, a whistleblower alleges.
It didn’t provide enough protective gear for frontline airport screeners, said Jay Brainard, a senior TSA official in Kansas.
The agency did not train staff and managers were banned from giving out masks to workers.
"I have no doubt whatsoever that our people became Typhoid Marys and contributed to the spread of the virus because TSA senior leadership did not make sure (screeners) were adequately protected," Jay Brainard told The Associated Press.
Brainard lodged an official complaint with the Office of Special Counsel, which ordered Homeland Security to start an investigation.
The agency apparently had a stockpile of masks back in March but would not give them out to screeners as there was a general shortage of them at the time.
TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said masks were only optional at the start of the virus outbreak in the US, but then made them mandatory at airports in May.
Brainard says there has been little or no contract tracing when a TSA worker became sick.
The TSA says more than 700 of its employees have tested positive for Covid-19 and five have died.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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