By Michael Hernandez
WASHINGTON
The Department of Homeland Security announced additional travel restrictions on flights from three West African countries Tuesday in another bid to stem the spread of the deadly Ebola virus.
All flights originating from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea will have to fly into one of five U.S. airports with enhanced Ebola screening measures. New York’s JFK International Airport, Washington Dulles International, Newark Liberty International in New Jersey, Chicago O’Hare International, and Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International currently have the measures in place.
“We are working closely with the airlines to implement these restrictions with minimal travel disruption,” Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said in a statement. “If not already handled by the airlines, the few impacted travelers should contact the airlines for rebooking, as needed.”
The enhanced Ebola screening, which includes testing passengers for increased body temperature and asking about possible exposure to the virus, was announced Oct. 8. JFK was the first airport to implement the measures three days later.
The five airports previously received more than 94 percent of travelers from West Africa, where the virus has killed more than 4,500.
The Obama administration has faced tough criticism from some for not instituting a travel ban on the countries where Ebola has killed scores.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters Tuesday that a ban would incentivize passengers from West Africa to lie about the possibility that they may be infected.
“The fact of the matter is giving individuals an incentive to conceal their travel history only puts the American public at risk because it makes it harder for us to determine which individuals need to be subjected to the screening that we’ve described,” he said. “The vastly preferable system to have in place would be for these individuals to be subjected to intensive screening before they ever board an aircraft, and then to be subjected to an additional round of screening upon arrival in the United States.”
Homeland Security’s new measures will go into effect Wednesday, according to Johnson. He added that the U.S. is "continually evaluating" whether additional measures are warranted, "and will act accordingly."
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