WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 (TodayViralUSA) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday ordered that every passenger boarding an international flight to the United States sign a statement confirming they have not been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the previous 21 days, widening the government’s response to the Ebola outbreak there.
The requirement takes effect for flights departing for the U.S. at or after 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Nov. 3, according to the order posted on the CDC’s website. It applies to all travelers, regardless of citizenship or where their journey begins, unless they hold an exemption issued by the U.S. government. Reuters first reported the move, citing a CDC memo.
What airlines must do
Under the order, airlines and other aircraft operators must confirm at or before boarding that every passenger has completed the attestation, whether on paper, by digital signature or through an electronic checkbox. Carriers must refuse to board anyone who has not, and must keep a copy of each attestation for at least 42 days after the flight lands. Willfully providing false information can bring criminal fines and imprisonment under federal law.
The CDC said the 21-day window reflects the maximum incubation period for Ebola. Any presence in Congo counts, including connecting through an airport there without leaving the plane. Travelers may board a U.S.-bound flight starting on the 22nd day after leaving the country.
Building on earlier restrictions
The new attestation adds an enforcement layer to rules the agency already has in place. Travelers, including U.S. citizens and nationals, who have been in Congo within 21 days are barred from boarding flights to the United States. Non-citizens who have recently been in South Sudan or Uganda are not allowed to enter, while Americans arriving from those two countries are routed through designated airports for public health screening, according to CDC traveler guidance.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has notified airlines of the change through its Carrier Liaison Program, according to a bulletin published by the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Sources & Credits
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Order: Requirement for Attestation for All Airline or Other Aircraft Passengers Arriving in the United States
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Information for Travelers Returning from Ebola-Affected Areas
- Reuters via WEVE: US to impose Ebola attestation requirement for international air passengers
- AILA: Carrier Liaison Program Bulletin: Ebola Attestation Requirement for Air Passengers
Image: A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer prepares to screen arriving international passengers at Washington Dulles International Airport (file photo, March 2020), by Glenn Fawcett, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
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