The Latest: US air travel on the rebound despite pandemic

WASHINGTON - Commercial air travel appears to be on the upswing despite the coronavirus pandemic.

The Transportation Security Administration said its agents screened more than 1.3 million passengers at airport security checkpoints nationwide on Friday.

Spokesperson Lisa Farbstein said in a tweet that the last time the number was that high was March 15, 2020 – about a year ago.

Public health officials generally have cautioned against commercial travel.

Farbstein included a reminder in her tweet, saying “if you choose to fly, wear that mask!”

President Joe Biden marked Thursday’s first anniversary of the pandemic with a prime-time address to the nation in which he said he expects to have enough coronavirus vaccine for all Americans by May 1.

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THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:

— Virus tolls have been similar in U.S. states despite governors' contrasting actions

— By some measures, the panedemic's been more costly for U.S. than World War II

— Rules have put medically vulnerable near the end of vaccine lines in many places

— IRS says new round of COVID relief payments on the way

— After a long pandemic year, a changed New York shows signs of revival

— Most of California to reopen as vaccine eligibility expands

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Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic, https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

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