The U.S. is rerouting travelers from the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Uganda to specific airports for enhanced health screenings. This aims to identify potential Ebola exposures.
Starting after 11:59 p.m. Thursday, John F. Kennedy International Airport will implement these screenings. It joins Washington Dulles, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, and George Bush Intercontinental airports in these health checks.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Kennedy Airport has prior experience with health crisis screenings and has the necessary procedures in place. The screenings will apply to all travelers from affected regions, regardless of their immigration or citizenship status. Earlier in the week, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced the screenings at J.F.K. Airport.
The Ebola outbreak has resulted in over 1,000 cases and more than 200 deaths so far. Public health experts criticize the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development for weakening detection and response efforts, causing the rapid spread of the outbreak.
The Trump administration has committed to preventing Ebola entry into the U.S. It plans to deny entry even to affected American citizens. A 50-bed quarantine center in Kenya will be set up to house exposed Americans, along with adjacent isolation and biocontainment facilities for those testing positive or showing symptoms in quarantine. The quarantine center is set to launch on Friday, but the operational date of the isolation and biocontainment facilities remains unclear.
The CDC and State Department are working on identifying enhanced treatment facilities in Europe for Americans needing advanced Ebola treatment.
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