WASHINGTON, D.C. (1010 WINS) — U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said there is “no indication” that the federal vaccine mandate taking effect Monday will impact travel.
The mandate for all federal workers comes as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) braces for pre-pandemic levels of holiday travel — and as the administration has refused to share vaccination rates.
“I have seen no indication that vaccine requirements are going to impact travel in any way, certainly in terms of our ability as a federal administration to provide the services that are needed,” Buttigieg said Sunday on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” when specifically asked about TSA vaccine rates.
"People aren't getting immediately pulled off their posts," he added. "It's part of a process to make sure that everyone in the federal workforce is safe."
During a mid-October appearance on CNN, TSA Administrator David Pekoske said 60% of the TSA’s workforce had been vaccinated at that time. The administration has been more reluctant to share its updated figure as of late, with a spokesperson telling New York Post and other outlets only that the vaccine rate at TSA is “very high.”
Buttigieg deflected the question Sunday, stressing that the mandate was about ending the pandemic.
“All of us are ready to be done with this pandemic, to be done not just with the death and the hospitalization and the grim headlines, but also to be done with the restrictions and the requirements, and the masks,” Buttigieg added. “Putting all of that behind us means getting everybody vaccinated. That's what these requirements are about.”
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