Free Republic

Editor’s note: This post has been updated with new information. Almost a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, infections are still skyrocketing. With air passenger traffic at 34% of what it was pre-pandemic, and travelers hungry to get back on the road and into the skies, the scramble to find a solution is on. For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. Vaccines have arrived, but mass production and broad availability could still be months away. As the industry continues to explore ways to jumpstart travel, some airports and airlines have a potential...

The FDA on Tuesday approved the first over-the-counter COVID-19 test involving a nasal swab — and near-instant results. “By authorizing a test for over-the-counter use, the FDA allows it to be sold in places like drug stores, where a patient can buy it, swab their nose, run the test and find out their results in as little as 20 minutes,’’ said Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, in a statement on the agency’s website.