U.S. to Track Everyone Coming From Ebola Nations

Stepping up their vigilance against Ebola, federal authorities said Wednesday that everyone traveling into the U.S. from Ebola-stricken nations will be monitored for symptoms for 21 days. That includes returning American aid workers, federal health employees and journalists, as well as West African travelers.

The program will start Monday in six states that represent 70 percent of people arriving from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CDC Director Tom Frieden said monitoring would extend to other states in coming days and reach “every person coming back to the country for the 21 days they are at risk for Ebola.” He said it would continue until the outbreak in West Africa is controlled.

Local and state officials will perform the daily monitoring, which may consist of keeping up with people by phone or visits. The first states are New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey and Georgia.

Individuals arriving from West Africa will receive “care kits” that include thermometers, detailed information on how take their temperature twice a day, and logs for recording the information. Temperatures must be reported to health officials at least once per day, he said.

The new program comes after authorities announced Wednesday plans to funnel all visitors from the three nations through five airports where fever checks and other Ebola screening measures have been put in place.

This article appeared in print on page 2 of the October 23rd, 2014 edition of Hamodia.