This article discusses why evidence and experience argue that airport screening will do little to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Airport screening is a major component of the worldwide response to the spread of COVID-19. This involves taking passengers’ temperatures and asking where they’ve traveled, at both ends of their trip. Unfortunately, both research and experience shows this will likely do very little to slow the spread of the virus. Screeners rarely intercept infected travelers.

Many past studies show that travelers infected with SARS, Ebola, and H1N1 flu slipped through airport screening. Changes in the United States in the last few weeks have not kept the disease from sweeping through the country.