COVID-19: federal air marshal service should document its response to cases and facilitate access to testing : report to Congressional committees

COVID-19: federal air marshal service should document its response to cases and facilitate access to testing : report to Congressional committees

Collection:
Health Policy and Services Research
Contributor(s):
United States. Government Accountability Office, issuing body.
United States. Congress, issuing body.
Publication:
Washington, DC : United States Government Accountability Office, June 2021
Language(s):
English
Format:
Text
Subject(s):
COVID-19 -- prevention & control
Government Regulation
Police -- statistics & numerical data
Travel-Related Illness
United States
Genre(s):
Technical Report
Abstract:
Why GAO did this study. In the U.S. there have been over 29 million cumulative reported cases of COVID-19 and about 524,000 reported deaths, as of March 23, 2021. Public health officials have recommended social distancing and other steps to reduce the spread of the disease, but air marshals often work on planes where they cannot fully adopt these measures. The CARES Act included a provision for GAO to conduct monitoring and oversight of the federal government’s response to the COVID19 pandemic. This report examines (1) how many air marshals have been diagnosed with COVID-19; (2) FAMS’s steps to protect air marshals’ health; and (3) how FAMS adapted its operations during the pandemic. GAO analyzed FAMS data on COVID19 cases among employees, reviewed agency guidance, analyzed FAMS flight operations reports, and interviewed FAMS leadership as well as air marshals at a non-generalizable sample of three field offices selected for variation in number of COVID-19 cases, among other things. This is a public version of a sensitive report that GAO issued in May 2021. Information that DHS deemed sensitive has been omitted. What GAO recommends. GAO recommends that FAMS (1) consistently document steps taken in response to an employee’s diagnosis with COVID-19 and (2) routinely facilitate employee access to testing for COVID-19. DHS concurred with both of GAO’s recommendations and identified actions it will take to implement them.
Copyright:
The National Library of Medicine believes this item to be in the public domain. (More information)
Extent:
1 online resource (1 PDF file (ii, 42 pages))
Illustrations:
Illustrations
NLM Unique ID:
9918317486406676 (See catalog record)
Permanent Link:
http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/9918317486406676