Gov. Rick Scott Calls for Ebola Screenings at Airports

Florida hasn’t logged an Ebola case yet and Gov. Rick Scott wants to keep it that way.

On Friday morning, Scott asked the federal government to include Florida airports in its stepped up protocol to screen passengers who arrive from countries where the deadly virus is prevalent, The Tampa Tribune reported. Right now, passengers flying in from West Africa are screened for Ebola only at five airports across the county.

Scott’s also asked the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to offer conference training to the state’s hospitals on how to best handle suspected cases of Ebola.

“We do not have an Ebola case, and of course all of us hope that we’ll never have an Ebola case,” Scott was quoted by Local 10 as saying. “But, my top priority is to make sure that Florida stays safe.”

Scott has asked all of the state’s hospitals to host mandatory trainings for Ebola, but only 39 percent had complied by Wednesday, the Tribune said.

Scott also requested the CDC contact all passengers who traveled on a Frontier Airlines plane within 24 hours of a Texas nurse who has since tested positive for Ebola. The same plane that transported the nurse stopped in Fort Lauderdale after the woman’s flight, Local 10 reported.

While additional screenings have been officially requested, Scott has gone on the record as saying a full travel ban would be preferable.

“I think it is common sense to restrict travel,” the Bradenton Herald quoted Scott as saying. “It makes all the sense in the world.”

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See Also:

• Florida Politicians Call for Travel Ban to Fight Ebola Epidemic