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What GAO got
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) plays a key role in the search for air travel contacts – the process of identifying and notifying passengers who have been in contact with an infected person during a flight. However, there are a number of factors that affect CDC’s current, accurate and complete airline data collection capacity, and local public health officials support contact search. For example, airlines may not have accurate and complete information about passengers to share with CDC because the contact information provided for the ticket may be for a third party, not as a passenger. In addition, since there is no single, complete and reliable source of travel information, CDC often conducts research to fill gaps, which prolongs the time it takes to exchange information with local public health officials.
Overview of Air Passenger Address Information Collection Process
Since the onset of the CVD-19 epidemic, CDC has taken steps to improve the quality of information it collects. For example, since November 2021, CDC has required airlines to collect and transmit certain information — including name, phone number, email, and physical address — to passengers traveling to the United States within 72 hours of departure. CDC in a specific format.
However, restrictions on how CDC collects and manages airline addresses — including the use of CDC’s outdated information management system — may hinder the agency’s ability to monitor public health concerns and facilitate contact. The data management system, developed in the mid-2000s – is not designed for rapid assessment of individual cases or to collect public health information. For example, CDC cannot quickly and accurately identify passengers who are exposed to a particular passenger on a flight. The system also does not contain the information fields necessary to evaluate the quality of airline information that CDC receives, such as the airline’s determination of airlines’ response to CDC requests. Therefore, CDC is not designed to effectively analyze and disseminate information to inform public health policies and respond to disease risks. It is not designed to evaluate the performance of collecting and sharing quality passenger information.
Why GAO did this study
He emphasized the need for public health measures aimed at controlling the spread of communicable diseases. Air travel can play a role in the rapid spread of infectious diseases globally and in the community. Considering this potential, looking for airline contacts is an important step in maintaining public health.
GAO was asked to investigate the CDC process to collect and manage airline address information to facilitate contact search. This report covers the effects of (1) CDC’s impact on data collection capacity, (2) recent steps taken by CDC to improve the quality of information it collects, and (3) how effectively it collects and manages this information.
The GAO reviewed relevant federal documents, including regulations, orders, technical guidelines and public comments, as well as available CDC information. GAO has selected officials from the CDC, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Federal Aviation Administration, and representatives from the aviation, travel and public health industries.
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