DHS’s Coordinated Response to Ebola

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), is engaged on a daily basis with its interagency partners to prepare for and respond to Ebola and other potential threats to public health.

The 2014 Ebola Epidemic

The 2014 Ebola epidemic is the largest in history and has had a significant impact in multiple West African countries.   In response to this international situation, the U.S. Government, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners have been actively engaged in West Africa, specifically in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea, which have been the hardest hit areas. In the midst of this public health event, it is important to remember that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has stated that the risk of a widespread Ebola outbreak in the United States is very low. Still, DHS, in coordination with the CDC and the National Security Council have already taken significant and prudent steps to mitigate the spread of Ebola in the United States.

The Department of Homeland Security's Response

DHS, through U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), is engaged on a daily basis with its interagency partners to prepare for and respond to Ebola and other potential threats to public health.

CBP and the CDC have closely coordinated to develop policies, procedures, and protocols to identify travelers at all ports of entry who may potentially be infected with communicable diseases and to minimize the risk to the traveling public. These procedures have been utilized collaboratively by both agencies on a number of occasions with positive results.  CBP personnel review all travelers entering the United States for general overt signs of illnesses (visual observation, questioning, and notification to CDC as appropriate) at all U.S. ports of entry, including all federal inspection service areas at U.S. airports that service international flights, land-border crossings and seaports.

As part of the Department of Homeland Security’s ongoing response to prevent the spread of Ebola in the United States, DHS is instituting additional screening and protective measures for travelers from Ebola-affected countries at our ports of entry.

CBP has developed enhanced passenger screening for travelers entering the United States from or through an Ebola-affected country. These measures are in place at five U.S. airports where over 94% of travelers from the affected region enter the U.S. which started with John F. Kennedy International Airport on Saturday, Oct. 11 .  Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, Dulles International Airport in Virginia, Hartsfield Jackson International Airport in Atlanta and Newark International Airport in New Jersey implemented enhanced screening Thursday, Oct. 16. The enhanced screening includes:

1. Identifying and interdicting travelers from the Ebola-affected countries 
2. Isolating these travelers from the rest of traveling public while the individual completes a questionnaire and contact information form
3. Medically-trained personnel will take the traveler’s temperature. If the traveler has a fever or other symptoms, or may have been exposed to Ebola, CBP will refer the traveler to CDC for a public health assessment. CDC will then determine whether the traveler can continue to travel, is taken to a hospital for further evaluation, or is referred to a local health department for further monitoring
4. Encouraging the traveler to seek health care at the first sign of any potential illness 

Next, the Department of Homeland Security will exercise its authority to direct those passengers flying from Sierra Leone and Guinea to arrive in the United States at one of the five airports with enhanced screening and resources – JFK, Newark, Dulles, Atlanta and Chicago. This means that airlines will route passengers from these three affected countries to U.S. airports that have the enhanced screening procedures implemented and added personnel in place. DHS is working closely with the airlines to implement these restrictions with minimal travel disruption.

Below is a breakdown of the number of travelers who have already undergone enhanced screening procedures at each of the five international airports as of Aug 12, 2015.

Flights with passengers requiring Ebola screening through August 12, 2015