[ 2014-10-14 ]

Ebola crisis: 'huge disruption' expected at Heathrow as screening begins
Ebola screening will begin at Heathrow airport on
Tuesday amid claims it will cause ‘huge
disruption’ to travellers and do little to stop
the disease.

Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, announced that
passengers arriving on major routes from Guinea,
Sierra Leone and Liberia would face temperature
checks and questions about their movements.

Last week Public Health England ruled out such
measures claiming it would impact ‘huge numbers
of low risk people.’

But, addressing the House of Commons, Mr Hunt said
that advice from medical experts had changed and
warned that Ebola would be in Britain by
Christmas.

Enhanced screening will also be implemented at
Gatwick and Eurostar Terminals next week.

Mr Hunt said that 89 per cent of people travelling
to Britain from the affected region would be
checked, but admitted one in 10 taking indirect
routes would slip through screening.

He told MPs it was "likely" that Ebola will be
seen in the UK and a "handful" of cases could be
confirmed in the next three months.

"This Government's first priority is the safety of
the British people,” he said.

However health experts questioned whether the
enhanced screening would prevent the disease.

Source - The Telegraph

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