Ebola screening for UK airports and Eurostar stations

[Jonjo]

Expect delays coming into UK airports and Eurostar stations - Ebola screening has just been announced by UK Gov.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29559444

UK Ebola screening for arrivals from affected countries
Breaking news

The UK is to introduce "enhanced screening" for Ebola for arrivals from affected countries.

Downing Street said passengers arriving at Gatwick, Heathrow and on Eurostar would face questions and potentially a medical assessment.

It comes after the chairman of an influential Commons committee and the Labour Party called for such tests.

Earlier ministers had ruled out screening, saying the UK was following World Health Organisation advice.

 

[the_princess]

This will only concern passengers arriving from affected countries. I don't think it has a big impact on people arriving from France.

 

[DLPDreams]

I think, to be fair, that when Jonjo posted it was breaking news and no-one knew the details. It does appear it's just London main airports and Eurostar atm, and as stated only travellers from affected countries. I suppose it could affect Eurostar queues depending on how they choose to carry checks out?

But then, I've also read that as there is a 3 week incubation period, screening won't always pick it up during this time anyway!

 

[Jonjo]

I expect the UK Border Agency will be asking additional questions at border control when you get back into the country. Have you been to Africa in the last month sir? Or big signs asking have you been to Africa?

I think if you wear your Mickey Ears on the way back in you should be OK.

But knowing from past experiance how efficient the UK Border Agency staff can be, any extra questions asked is likely to cause an additional delay when you get of the Eurostar at St Pancras International.

I mean they know a train full of UK passangers from France is due to arrive at the same time each evening, but there is only one desk open..... Until the extra staff magicaly appear to open the other desks.

 

[Jonjo]

This will only concern passengers arriving from affected countries. I don't think it has a big impact on people arriving from France.

Problem is there are no direct flights arriving from the affected countries into the UK, these were all stopped a few months ago. All passangers from West Africa coming into the UK now change planes in other counties in Africa or in Europe. And in Europe it's mostly Paris and Amsterdam to get into the UK.

The WHO has reported that there are only 60 days left to control the problem on the ground before it speads out of the affected countries. Canada and South Africa have had these screenings in place for months.

And as rightly stated earlier the incubation period is 21 days, screening someone who has just got off a plane is not going to solve anything.

At least the UK and US are sending Army field hospitals and hospital ships to the area to help. But this should have been done 12 months ago when Médecins Sans Frontières, Doctors Without Borders and the International Red Cross were pleading for assistance.

My DW who is a Biomedical Scientist says "It's all too little too late. The only sollution now is a total travel ban for those inside the the affected countries to stop the risk of it speading further".

 

[DLPDreams]

My DW who is a Biomedical Scientist says "It's all too little too late. The only sollution now is a total travel ban for those inside the the affected countries to stop the risk of it speading further".

With your DW on this one, although scarily there have been cases in the UK/US/Spain etc now too. I don't know much information (and it has clearly been hyped by the press) but hasn't a British man died in Macedonia in the last 24 hours - suspected of having ebola? Problem is, he flew straight from the UK and has not been in Africa? Like I say, it may be the press sensationalising at present as they haven't confirmed it is definitely ebola, but it is suspected. His partner has been quarantined and is showing symptoms too.

My DSD is a microbiologist and he says they are not far off a vaccine - infact they may already have one of a kind, but it's not 'cleared' to be used on humans yet.

 

[Jonjo]

With your DW on this one, although scarily there have been cases in the UK/US/Spain etc now too. I don't know much information (and it has clearly been hyped by the press) but hasn't a British man died in Macedonia in the last 24 hours - suspected of having ebola? Problem is, he flew straight from the UK and has not been in Africa? Like I say, it may be the press sensationalising at present as they haven't confirmed it is definitely ebola, but it is suspected. His partner has been quarantined and is showing symptoms too.

My DSD is a microbiologist and he says they are not far off a vaccine - infact they may already have one of a kind, but it's not 'cleared' to be used on humans yet.

It's not been confirmed yet what the man in Macedonia died of.
Some of the cases in the UK/Spain/US were aid workers who already had from Ebola and were transfered from Africa to their home countires for treatment.

The CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) in Atlanta needed a casualty and they were lucky that a US Doctor came down with it and he was flown from Africa to Atlanta and treated.

This is one reason hospital ships have been sent to the region so any more infected western medical staff are treated on the ships and not brought back to the UK / US or Europe.

The case in the US the man had been the Western Africa and brought it back with him. In Spain the nurse caught it from an aid worker who was brought back to Spain and they later died.

The worst thing they could do, has already been done, flying sick infected people from one country to another for treatment. Disease Control rule no.1 don't move people out of the infected areas.

Lets hope the plea from the WHO us listend to, and more aid and medics are sent in to help. 164 NHS staff have volunteered to be part of the UK's efforts to contain the Ebola crisis in West Africa, plus UK troops and medics are being sent. Other countries need to send help too.

The other problem with have now is that aid workers are coming back after spending many months in the effected areas. These volunteers have to go into quarantine as per normal protocols, but some are geting ill, coming down with the flu or a cold - normal every day stuff which then sends everyone into a panic.

The vaccine that has been made in the US is being used, it's gone stright out for use, bypassing the long trial normaly needed due to the urgent need. So far it seems to be working. The US Doctor and UK nurse were teated with it and they have fully recovered.

Lots of labs around the world have been working on ebola vaccines for many years, and all these now are being shipped to World Health Organization in Geneva.

Hopfuly we can get a cure for this disease, nothing like panic and the huge threat of what could happen if it spreads around the world to make people work faster and make goverments cooperate.

 

[DLPDreams]

It's not been confirmed yet what the man in Macedonia died of.
Some of the cases in the UK/Spain/US were aid workers who already had from Ebola and were transfered from Africa to their home countires for treatment.

The CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) in Atlanta needed a casualty and they were lucky that a US Doctor came down with it and he was flown from Africa to Atlanta and treated.

This is one reason hospital ships have been sent to the region so any more infected western medical staff are treated on the ships and not brought back to the UK / US or Europe.

The case in the US the man had been the Western Africa and brought it back with him. In Spain the nurse caught it from an aid worker who was brought back to Spain and they later died.

The worst thing they could do, has already been done, flying sick infected people from one country to another for treatment. Disease Control rule no.1 don't move people out of the infected areas.

Lets hope the plea from the WHO us listend to, and more aid and medics are sent in to help. 164 NHS staff have volunteered to be part of the UK's efforts to contain the Ebola crisis in West Africa, plus UK troops and medics are being sent. Other countries need to send help too.

The other problem with have now is that aid workers are coming back after spending many months in the effected areas. These volunteers have to go into quarantine as per normal protocols, but some are geting ill, coming down with the flu or a cold - normal every day stuff which then sends everyone into a panic.

The vaccine that has been made in the US is being used, it's gone stright out for use, bypassing the long trial normaly needed due to the urgent need. So far it seems to be working. The US Doctor and UK nurse were teated with it and they have fully recovered.

Lots of labs around the world have been working on ebola vaccines for many years, and all these now are being shipped to World Health Organization in Geneva.

Hopfuly we can get a cure for this disease, nothing like panic and the huge threat of what could happen if it spreads around the world to make people work faster and make goverments cooperate.

Was aware of the various health workers who contracted it, but the Macedonian death is a mystery - unless proved it's not ebola.

I hadn't realised about the vaccine but my DSD put me right tonight it had been used and seems to be working. Hopefully this may be the answer! Fingers crossed.

Agreed about shipping people who are ill around. But then, when the health worker was brought back to the UK a few months or so ago, there was uproar from people saying he should be brought back and he had a right to be treated here.... You can't always win with public sentiment/opinion!

Anyone know when the screening will start at UK airports/eurostar? Is it this weekend?

 

[Jonjo]

Anyone know when the screening will start at UK airports/eurostar? Is it this weekend?

There is total confusion about this at the moment. No 10 says "enhanced screening" will be brought in within days at Gatwick and Heathrow airports as well as Eurostar terminals. - No one knows who is going to do it or how it is to be done or when it will start.

I read a post on one travel forum that suggested Eurostar trains from Europe will start running non-stop to St Pancras International. Another post in another forum suggested they will stop all Eurostar trains at Ashford International and the screening of passengers will take place on the train. - So total confusion and no facts as to what will be happening.

I've emailed Eurostar to ask if they know what is going to happen - no reply as of yet.