Ebola Screenings Begin at US Airports
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Donna Burton/US Customs and Border Protection(NEW YORK) — Ebola virus screening for flight passengers arriving at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York began Saturday, with officials processing travelers from Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to combat the spread of the virus.
Individuals who may show signs of the disease will be identified, isolated, and quickly referred to medical personnel, officials said Saturday.
Screening is also expected to begin at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Dulles International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Newark International Airport to encompass more than 94 percent of travelers from the affected regions entering the United States.
Passengers will be taken to a private area to complete a CDC questionnaire, followed by medical staff taking their temperature. If the traveler has a fever, symptoms of the virus, or has been exposed to Ebola, they will be referred for a public health assessment.
“The expanded screening measures provide this layer of protection for the already established protocols to minimize the risk of another case of Ebola here in the United States,” said Gil Kerlikowske, Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
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