Enhanced Screening for Ebola to Begin Thursday at Dulles International Airport

Travelers from the Ebola-affected countries entering the U.S. through Dulles International Airport and four other U.S. airports (New York’s JFK, Newark, Chicago-O’Hare and Atlanta international airports) will receive enhanced entry screening.

Screening begins at Dulles tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 16, according to Fairfax County. This screening means that travelers from Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone will:

• Receive information about Ebola, its symptoms, what to do if symptoms develop and information for doctors if travelers need medical attention.
• Be asked to answer questions to determine their risk of infection, have their temperatures taken and be observed for other symptoms of Ebola.
• If symptoms exist, be referred to CDC officials on site for further evaluation.

As a result of this process, CDC officials at the airport will determine whether a traveler:

• Can continue to travel.
• Should be taken to a hospital for evaluation, testing and treatment.
• Is referred to a local health department for further monitoring and support.

This enhanced screening of those entering the U.S. from the affected countries in West Africa will support the surveillance and monitoring already in place throughout the region at hospital emergency rooms and other health facilities.

The Ebola virus is transmitted through close contact with an infected patient’s blood or bodily fluids. For more detailed information about the disease, visit the CDC website, www.cdc.gov, and review the Frequently Asked Questions about Ebola on the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments website.