Concerns about the Ebola virus continue to spread as the U.K. announces plans to begin screening people who arrive at its airports for the deadly virus. According to the BBC, officials are introducing “enhanced screening” for those who arrive at Gatwick or Heathrow airports or on Eurostar—if they came from countries where there’s an outbreak of Ebola.
U.K. adds Ebola screening
Officials said anyone who arrives at the two airports or on Eurostar will have to answer some questions and possibly be assessed by medical personnel. Authorities will be conducting the checks on all passengers from Liberia, Guinea or Sierra Leone, asking about their recent travel history, who they’ve been in contact with and their future travel plans.
Passengers who are required to be checked by medical personnel will receive advice about what they should do if they develop symptoms of the Ebola virus later.
U.K. officials previously said they would not begin checking those entering the country for the virus because they were following advice from the World Health Organization. They changed their minds after the Labour Party and the chairman of a key Commons committee called for the screenings. Previously, officials
Other countries also screen for Ebola
In the U.S., five airports are planning to begin screening passengers who arrive from West African countries that have been hit hard by the Ebola virus. Authorities will be taking their temperatures and making sure they don’t have any symptoms of the deadly disease.
The five airports where the screenings will take place are Chicago’s O’Hare airport, New York’s JFK, Washington Dulles, New Jersey’s Newark airport and Hartsfield airport in Atlanta. Officials said these five airports account for 94% of the travelers from Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Canada is also initiating Ebola screenings at its airports in Montreal, Calgary, Ottawa, Vancouver, Toronto and Halifax. Officials there noted that there aren’t any direct flights from the Western African countries affected by the virus into Canada.
However, they said any passengers arriving from other countries who feel sick must say so when they arrive. They also must say whether they’ve been in contact with anyone who is sick. They will then be referred to a quarantine officer.
