Will Begin At Heathrow, Expand To Gatwick And St Pancras

Public Health England (PHE) has begun enhanced screening for Ebola starting at Heathrow, and soon at Gatwick and St Pancras (Eurostar), for passengers that Border Force officers identify as having traveled from Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia.

Passengers will have their temperature taken and complete a questionnaire asking about their current health, recent travel history and whether they might be at potential risk through contact with Ebola patients. Based on the information provided and their temperature, passengers will either be given advice and allowed to continue their journey, or undergo a clinical assessment by PHE staff and if necessary be transferred to hospital for further tests.

"Anyone who is well but may have been at increased risk of contact with the Ebola virus will be given printed information and a PHE contact number to call in case they develop symptoms," said Dr Paul Cosford, director for health protection and medical director at PHE. "People infected with Ebola can only spread the virus to other people once they have developed symptoms, such as a fever. Even if someone has symptoms, the virus is only transmitted by direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person.

"It’s important to remember this is just 1 part of the screening process. PHE is also working with the international community and local health authorities to ensure robust exit screening remains in place at airports in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia, which will pick up anyone who is symptomatic before they leave these countries."

The PHE said that although no system can completely prevent a case of Ebola coming into the UK, enhanced screening in high volume ports of entry will ensure that individuals at risk know exactly what to do if they start feeling ill, and can receive the expert advice they need immediately.

"Overall the risk of Ebola in the UK remains low, and we have a world-class domestic health system that is ready to respond if we do see a case in the UK," Cosford said.

“The welfare of our passengers and colleagues is always our main priority and we are working with Government to support the implementation of targeted screening measures as announced by the Health Secretary today,"said a spokesperson for Heathrow in a prepared statement. "We would like to reassure passengers that the Government assesses the risk of a traveller contracting Ebola to be low. We would encourage anybody with individual questions or concerns to refer to guidance from Public Health England and the Foreign Office.”

FMI: www.gov.uk/phe, www.heathrowairport.com