The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced that its Traveler-Based Genomic Surveillance (TGS) program has reached over one million voluntary participants. The program collects anonymous samples from international travelers arriving at selected U.S. airports to monitor emerging pathogens and variants before they spread widely in the country.
Jim O'Neill, HHS Deputy Secretary and Acting CDC Director, stated, "The United States is the world's leading authority in public health. The broad participation of travelers enhances our ability to safeguard the nation using tools that are developed, operated, and governed here at home without reliance on unaccountable global bureaucracies."
The TGS program began in 2021 and operates through partnerships with organizations such as Ginkgo Biosecurity and XWell, along with cooperation from certain U.S. airports. These collaborations help CDC gather biosurveillance data quickly when information may be limited elsewhere.
TGS focuses on early detection of communicable diseases among incoming international travelers, particularly new variants of seasonal respiratory viruses and other significant pathogens. The program was able to report the first two detections of influenza H3N2 subclade K seven days ahead of any other public reports, highlighting its effectiveness in early surveillance.
Participation remains both voluntary and anonymous. In addition to nasal swab samples from travelers, the CDC has also analyzed more than 2,600 airplane wastewater samples as part of its broader monitoring efforts.
President Trump has emphasized maintaining U.S. leadership in public health by strengthening domestic capabilities and ensuring rapid responses to infectious disease threats. Programs like TGS support this goal by improving national biosecurity.
Further details about current TGS data are available online.
