Airport Alert: Ebola Screening at Select U.S. Airports to Begin on October 11
October 6, 2022
In a briefing with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Department of Homeland Security on October 6, AAAE was informed that CDC will begin Ebola screening of travelers coming from Uganda or who have been in that country within the last 21 days at select airports on October 11, 2022. Press is also reporting on the plans to redirect travelers to five U.S. airports for Ebola screening.
Currently, there are 63 confirmed and probable Ebola cases in five districts of Uganda, many resulting in death. No known cases have been reported outside of Uganda. Since there are limited vaccines or therapeutics to combat Ebola and none approved for the Ebola strain currently circulating in Uganda, the U.S. government plans to undertake actions to reduce the risk of importation of this strain. Specifically:
• The government will begin re-directing the limited number of U.S.-bound air travelers from Uganda to five U.S. airports (JFK International Airport, Washington-Dulles International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport) for Ebola screening. Any traveler who has been in Uganda in the last 21 days “ the incubation period for Ebola “ will be re-directed to these airports and screened upon arrival.
• Starting immediately, CDC will begin screening passengers on a rolling basis arriving from Uganda at the five airports. By next week, all passengers will undergo additional screening.
• Any traveler not currently booked to arrive at one of the airports will be re-booked by their airline.
• CDC will conduct temperature checks and visual health assessments of these travelers, verify their contact information, and provide them with a health assessment form that outlines the symptoms and what to monitor for.
• Air cargo flights and airline crew will be exempt from these screening requirements.
• The federal government will issue more details in a Federal Register notice. TSA will not issue any security directives for this screening.
There are no direct flights from Uganda to the United States. Travelers from or passing through the affected regions in Uganda enter the United States on flights connecting from other countries. Currently, about 145 people per day enter the U.S. from Uganda and the majority already arrive at one of these five airports.
Earlier this week, CDC raised Uganda's travel alert level, urging travelers to avoid non-essential travel to the country.
Update: It was entered into the Federal Register on October 12.
AAAE staff will keep you informed about this evolving development as more details on the U.S. government's policy are released.
In a briefing with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Department of Homeland Security on October 6, AAAE was informed that CDC will begin Ebola screening of travelers coming from Uganda or who have been in that country within the last 21 days at select airports on October 11, 2022. Press is also reporting on the plans to redirect travelers to five U.S. airports for Ebola screening.
Currently, there are 63 confirmed and probable Ebola cases in five districts of Uganda, many resulting in death. No known cases have been reported outside of Uganda. Since there are limited vaccines or therapeutics to combat Ebola and none approved for the Ebola strain currently circulating in Uganda, the U.S. government plans to undertake actions to reduce the risk of importation of this strain. Specifically:
• The government will begin re-directing the limited number of U.S.-bound air travelers from Uganda to five U.S. airports (JFK International Airport, Washington-Dulles International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport) for Ebola screening. Any traveler who has been in Uganda in the last 21 days “ the incubation period for Ebola “ will be re-directed to these airports and screened upon arrival.
• Starting immediately, CDC will begin screening passengers on a rolling basis arriving from Uganda at the five airports. By next week, all passengers will undergo additional screening.
• Any traveler not currently booked to arrive at one of the airports will be re-booked by their airline.
• CDC will conduct temperature checks and visual health assessments of these travelers, verify their contact information, and provide them with a health assessment form that outlines the symptoms and what to monitor for.
• Air cargo flights and airline crew will be exempt from these screening requirements.
• The federal government will issue more details in a Federal Register notice. TSA will not issue any security directives for this screening.
There are no direct flights from Uganda to the United States. Travelers from or passing through the affected regions in Uganda enter the United States on flights connecting from other countries. Currently, about 145 people per day enter the U.S. from Uganda and the majority already arrive at one of these five airports.
Earlier this week, CDC raised Uganda's travel alert level, urging travelers to avoid non-essential travel to the country.
Update: It was entered into the Federal Register on October 12.
AAAE staff will keep you informed about this evolving development as more details on the U.S. government's policy are released.
