Frequent Travels To Africa Carry Ebola Stigma
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DALLAS (CBS 11 NEWS) - Alycya Wilsey has been traveling to and from Africa for three years. And even though she was on the opposite side of the continent from the Ebola outbreak on the trip she returned from Wednesday, she had nagging worries on the flight home.
"I did, I did look," Wilsey said. "If somebody coughed or sneezed you kind of wondered a little bit..."
The CDC and homeland security will enhance health screenings for international passengers at 5 airports: New York's JFK, Newark, Washington Dulles, Chicago O'Hare and Atlanta Hartsfield. Health officials say travelers from West Africa will have been checked before they can get to DFW airport.
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"That's where all of the direct flights go from west Africa," said Vinny Taneja, the Tarrant Co. Public Health Director. "So, all the screening that happens happens there. And that's what happens here. Most of the travelers coming from west Africa have already been screened or have landed elsewhere first."
Health officials say if they're asked to provide enhanced screenings at DFW they're ready.
"We're in constant contact with our state department health services and the CDC. In fact I just got off a call with the director of the CDC Tom Frieden," said Taneja.
Despite the precautions, though, travel to and from Africa carries a public stigma about Ebola.
"My family was a little bit concerned about me traveling to Africa," Wilsey said. "I think people, when you say Africa, think of it more of a country instead of the continent. So, they think it's widespread over all of it."
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