# Plain Language Summary: Fly Safe Canine COVID Detection Act of 2021

This bill authorizes the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to use trained dogs to detect COVID-19 at airports and other transportation hubs. Instead of relying solely on temperature checks or health questionnaires, the TSA would deploy specially trained canines to sniff out whether travelers might be carrying the virus. The dogs would work alongside existing security screening processes to help identify potentially infected passengers before they board planes or enter other transportation facilities.

The practical effect is that airports could add dog screening to their security procedures, similar to how they already use dogs to detect explosives or drugs. These dogs would be trained specifically to recognize the scent of COVID-19, and their presence would give the TSA another tool to try to prevent sick people from traveling and spreading the virus to others. This approach is based on research showing that dogs can be trained to detect certain diseases by smell with high accuracy rates.

For most travelers, this means you might encounter detection dogs at airport security checkpoints in addition to the standard screening you already experience. If a dog alerts to you, you could face additional screening or questioning about your health status. The bill essentially gives the TSA permission to experiment with this canine detection method as part of their broader efforts to keep transportation systems safer during the pandemic and potentially for future disease outbreaks.

Fly Safe Canine COVID Detection Act of 2021

Scott, Rick

Fly Safe Canine COVID Detection Act of 2021 This bill requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to conduct a feasibility study on the use of canine units to detect the presence of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) in individuals with the virus. The TSA must also determine (1) whether the canine units can be used at airports to screen passengers, individuals accompanying passengers, crew members, and other individuals passing through airports and airport screening locations; and (2) how the screening would be implemented and what metrics would be used to monitor the efficacy of the screening.