Airports Implement Coronavirus Screening: Methods And Effectiveness

Airports have implemented various measures to check for coronavirus, including temperature screenings, health questionnaires, and travel history checks. Some airports, such as Incheon Airport in South Korea, have introduced special gates for passengers from high-risk areas, where officials use ear thermometers to check temperatures. Other airports conducting temperature checks include London's Heathrow Airport and Changi Airport in Singapore. In the United States, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is expected to begin temperature screenings at a dozen airports, referring passengers with high temperatures to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additionally, the CDC has expanded its Level 3 non-essential travel notice to several regions experiencing widespread transmission of the virus, including Australia, South America, parts of Asia, and the Middle East. These regions are advised to implement passenger screening for all arriving flights.

Temperature checks

The debate around the usefulness of temperature checks at airports has led to differing approaches worldwide. Some airports, like those in the United Kingdom, have chosen not to implement thermal screening. However, other airports, such as Incheon Airport in South Korea, have made temperature checks mandatory for all arriving passengers. Passengers with elevated temperatures may be subjected to further testing or required to undergo a mandatory quarantine period.

Despite the efforts of airport authorities, experts have raised concerns about the limitations of temperature checks. Dr. Itamar Grotto, associate director general of Israel's Ministry of Health, described temperature checks as "ineffective and inefficient." This sentiment is echoed by Michael Osterholm, an epidemiologist and professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, who believes that temperature checks have little impact on slowing or stopping the transmission of the virus.

One of the main challenges with temperature checks is the issue of "false assurance." Passengers with normal temperatures may still be in the incubation period, carrying the infection without displaying any symptoms. Additionally, a small number of COVID-19 patients do not exhibit fever symptoms at all. As a result, temperature checks may provide a false sense of security, leading to a potential lapse in other preventive measures.

While temperature checks may not be the most effective tool in detecting COVID-19 cases, some airport authorities believe that they could become the new norm even after the coronavirus outbreak subsides. The CEO of Heathrow Airport, John Holland-Kaye, acknowledged the widespread adoption of thermal cameras at airports worldwide and speculated that they might continue to be used in the future. However, he also emphasized that Public Health England had determined that thermal cameras were not appropriate for COVID-19 testing.

Health questionnaires

The use of health questionnaires at airports has been supported by various governments and organizations. The Foreign Office in the UK, for instance, has advised travellers intending to change planes at Incheon Airport in Seoul to prepare for these health checks. Similarly, provincial officers designated under the Public Health Act in Canada are authorized to collect completed isolation questionnaires from passengers arriving at Edmonton and Calgary international airports from outside the country.

However, the effectiveness of entry and exit screening in preventing the spread of COVID-19 has been questioned. Researchers at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control found that approximately 75% of passengers infected with COVID-19 and travelling from affected Chinese cities would not be detected by entry screening. This is partly due to the significant proportion of asymptomatic carriers, as well as the virus's incubation period, which can range from 2 to 14 days.

Despite these limitations, health questionnaires remain a valuable tool for monitoring the health of travellers and providing them with essential information. The World Health Organization emphasizes that screening should not solely rely on temperature checks but should be complemented by other measures, such as health questionnaires, to enhance the effectiveness of screening procedures at airports.

Symptom information

Passengers arriving at airports are being screened for potential signs of the virus, which includes temperature checks and questionnaires about their health and travel history.

At Incheon Airport in Seoul, passengers are required to undergo temperature checks and complete a questionnaire on their health and travel history. Anyone with a high temperature or high-risk travel history will be required to pass immigration.

Similarly, at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci Airport, passengers arriving on direct or indirect flights from Wuhan are being checked for potential signs of the virus, and those with suspected infections are being quarantined at an infectious disease hospital in Rome.

In the United States, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is expected to begin checking the temperatures of air travelers, with passengers exhibiting a temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher being referred to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In Puerto Rico, all scheduled and unscheduled commercial air carriers will be required to land at Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU) for passenger screening by public health officials before continuing to their final destinations.

However, it is important to note that the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has stated that checking people at airports by reading their skin temperature is not very effective in preventing the spread of the virus, especially when people do not exhibit symptoms. Instead, they recommend providing clear information to arriving passengers on what to do if they develop symptoms after arrival.

Travel history checks

One notable example is South Korea, which has been praised for its successful control of the pandemic. The country has implemented stringent measures for incoming travellers. At Incheon Airport in Seoul, passengers are required to undergo temperature checks and complete a questionnaire disclosing their travel history. Those with a high temperature or high-risk travel history are subjected to further evaluation and may be mandated to undergo COVID-19 testing. Notably, arriving from a country with a higher incidence of COVID-19, such as the UK, constitutes a "high-risk travel history" in South Korea.

Similarly, in New South Wales, biosecurity staff and state health officials meet flights from high-risk areas and distribute pamphlets in multiple languages to all passengers. These pamphlets outline the symptoms of COVID-19 infection and instruct travellers to identify themselves if they are experiencing any symptoms.

In the United States, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has also considered implementing travel history checks and temperature screenings at airports. While the decision is still under discussion, it highlights the importance of identifying travellers at risk of infection.

Additionally, countries like India and Singapore expanded temperature screening and travel history declarations for passengers arriving from high-risk areas. In-flight announcements before arrival urged passengers with relevant travel history and symptoms to declare themselves to health authorities upon arrival.

While temperature checks and health questionnaires are essential components of airport screenings, they should be supported by other preventive measures. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control emphasizes that providing clear information to arriving travellers about what to do if they develop symptoms after arrival is more effective in preventing the spread of the virus.

Thermal screening

Despite these concerns, thermal screening remains a tool in the fight against COVID-19. In addition to thermal screening, airports have implemented other measures, such as providing protective gear like masks and gloves to crew members and passengers, and setting up multiple hand sanitising stations at terminals.

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