As in previous Covid waves, what is happening in Europe is likely to follow soon in the United States. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believes the BA.5 Omicron variant accounted for more than 36 percent of reported cases in the week ending June 25. Some experts believe the subvariant is “many times” more contagious than the already highly contagious Omicron, although the European Centers for Disease Control says there is not yet enough data to conclude that BA.5 is actually more contagious. However, the ECDC already knows that BA.5 is more likely to infect someone even if they are fully vaccinated and boosted or have previously recovered from a Covid infection. At present, there is not enough data to determine how much of an impact BA.5 might have on disease severity, but previous variants of Omicron have resulted in reduced severity and hospitalizations are not increasing in Europe or the UK as in previous waves. However, the CDC recommends that anyone infected with COVID-19 self-quarantine for at least five full days and not travel. The issue, however, is that many companies have ended generous pandemic illness policies, so it can be costly for their employees to call in sick with Covid. That’s exactly what happened at American Airlines, where flight attendants were told they would collect sick points if they tested positive for Covid. Sickness points may result in disciplinary action, including dismissal, if too many points are accumulated in too short a period of time. It was not lost on the flight attendants’ union, the Association Professional Flight Attendants, that its members could choose to attend work rather than call in sick with Covid to avoid sick spots. Fortunately, American Airlines has decided to amend its policy, but the airline is clearly concerned that quick self-checks that can be performed at home are a ripe tool for sickness fraud. The airline is addressing this issue by requiring flight attendants to take a “precautionary test” if they want sick points deducted. Protected testing can be done in person or via video link. In return, AA will give flight attendants the CDC-recommended five quarantine days without fear of tracking points. Whether five days is an appropriate quarantine period is still up for debate, but Omicron generally causes shorter periods of illness than the original Covid virus.

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	Mateusz Maszczynski

Mateusz Maszczynski honed his skills as an international flight attendant at the most prominent airline in the Middle East and flew throughout the COVID-19 pandemic for a well-known European airline. Matt is passionate about the airline industry and has become an expert in passenger experience and people-centric stories. Always keeping an ear to the ground, Matt’s industry knowledge, analysis and news coverage is often relied upon by some of the biggest names in journalism.