Fauci backs COVID vaccine requirement for air travel: 'I would support that'

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President Biden's chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci has come out in support of banning people from flying on airplanes if they are not vaccinated against COVID-19.

Fauci was asked during an interview with theSkimm on Monday if he would support a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for Americans in order to fly.

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"I would support that if you want to get on a plane and travel with other people that you should be vaccinated," Fauci said.

The White House has not explicitly taken a federal vaccination requirement for air travel off the table.

Although, with Fauci’s influence as the president’s top doctor, the administration could sway in that direction if Biden chooses to follow suit, as he often has.

When asked if the White House was considering a vaccine mandate for air travel, an administration official pointed Fox News to White House coronavirus response director Jeff Zients’ comments from Friday when he was asked about the subject and remarking that is where the administration stood on the issue at the moment.

Zients did not take an air travel ban for unvaccinated Americans "off the table."

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"As to travel, we’re taking further action, as you know, to double the fines for noncompliance of masking on airlines," Zients said. "So that’s a TSA action that was announced yesterday.

"And overall, I think we have a – you know, a very strong track record that shows we’re pulling available levers to acquire vaccinations and we’re not taking any measures off the table," he added.

Houston Keene is a reporter for Fox News Digital. You can find him on Twitter at @HoustonKeene.