Airports' Coronavirus Checks: Which Airports Are Screening?

The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the future of air travel. Airports around the world have implemented various measures to control the spread of the virus. These measures include temperature checks, health questionnaires, and mandatory quarantine upon arrival. While some countries, such as the UK, have discussed implementing mandatory quarantine for all incoming travelers, others have focused on temperature screening and thermal imaging. The effectiveness of temperature checks has been questioned, especially since asymptomatic carriers of the virus may still spread it. Nevertheless, airports such as Heathrow in London, Changi in Singapore, and Incheon in South Korea, have implemented temperature screening for arriving passengers. Additionally, the FAA and other aviation authorities have provided guidance and exemptions to support airport operations during the pandemic.

Temperature checks

In May 2020, it was reported that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the United States was considering implementing temperature checks for air travellers. The Wall Street Journal indicated that the TSA would be responsible for checking the temperatures of air travellers at a dozen airports, with passengers exhibiting a temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher referred to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The TSA had previously conducted a pilot temperature check program at Washington Dulles International Airport. However, they emphasised that no final decision had been made regarding specific health screening measures at airports.

Similarly, London's Heathrow Airport announced trials of thermal-based temperature screenings for arriving passengers. This decision aligns with the UK's policy of following medical experts' advice, as the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has stated that "checking people at the airport by reading their skin temperature (known as entry screening) is not very effective in preventing the spread of the virus, especially when people do not have symptoms." Instead, they recommend providing clear information to arriving passengers, explaining what to do if they develop symptoms after arrival.

In contrast, countries like South Korea have implemented strict temperature-checking protocols for incoming travellers. At Incheon Airport in Seoul, passengers are temperature-checked and required to complete a questionnaire on their health and travel history. Anyone with a high temperature or high-risk travel history must pass through immigration and may be required to take a COVID-19 test.

Other airports that have implemented temperature screening for flights from high-risk areas include New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, and Changi Airport in Singapore. Additionally, authorities in Wuhan, China, have implemented fever checks on passengers to limit the spread of the virus, and India expanded thermal screening to seven airports for passengers arriving from China and Hong Kong.

While temperature checks may provide some reassurance, experts caution that fever detection alone is not a foolproof method for identifying COVID-19 cases, especially given the existence of asymptomatic carriers. Furthermore, asymptomatic coronavirus carriers may still board planes while travellers with a cold might be barred based on temperature screening alone.

Questionnaires on health and travel history

In the early days of the pandemic, many airports implemented health and travel history questionnaires for passengers. These questionnaires, along with temperature checks, were used to screen departing or arriving passengers for COVID-19. However, research has shown that these measures are largely ineffective in stopping the spread of the virus, especially when people are asymptomatic.

One example of an airport that required health and travel history questionnaires was Incheon Airport in South Korea. The Foreign Office advised travellers hoping to change planes at Incheon that they would be "temperature-checked and made to complete a questionnaire on health and travel history". Anyone with a high temperature or high-risk travel history would need to pass immigration and take a COVID-19 test.

Another example is Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU) in Puerto Rico, where public health officials screened arriving passengers from locations outside of Puerto Rico. These passengers were required to land at SJU or one of two other designated airports for screening before continuing to their final destinations.

While the use of health and travel history questionnaires at airports may provide some reassurance, it is challenging to effectively intercept infected travellers, especially those who are asymptomatic. As a result, some countries have implemented mandatory quarantine periods for all incoming travellers, regardless of their questionnaire responses or temperature readings. For instance, there have been discussions in the UK about requiring all incoming travellers to follow a "stay-at-home notice" and self-isolate for two weeks upon arrival.

Mandatory quarantine

In the early days of the pandemic, countries like South Korea implemented hardline measures to control the spread of Covid-19. Passengers arriving in Seoul were temperature-checked and made to complete a questionnaire on their health and travel history. Those with a high temperature or high-risk travel history were made to pass immigration and take a Covid-19 test.

In the United States, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was considering implementing temperature checks at a dozen airports, with pilot programs at Washington Dulles International Airport. However, the TSA emphasized that no decision had been made, and questions remained about enforcement and the effectiveness of temperature screening alone in preventing the spread of the virus.

Similarly, Delhi Airport in India instituted a 7-day mandatory institutional quarantine for all arriving passengers. Asymptomatic passengers were allowed to home quarantine, while others proceeded to approved quarantine locations. Exemptions were made for pregnant women, passengers with serious illnesses, and parents accompanied by children under 10.

Other countries implemented travel restrictions and mandatory quarantines upon arrival. For instance, Mozambique, Namibia, and Niger had mandatory 14-day quarantines for all arriving travelers, while the United Kingdom announced a 14-day mandatory quarantine for all travelers, excluding freight workers, medical professionals, and travelers from Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man.

Thermal screening

While thermal screening can help detect individuals with a fever, it is not always effective at identifying early signs of infection. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have stated that scientific evidence does not support entry screening as an efficient measure for detecting incoming travellers with infectious diseases, especially for coronavirus, due to its long incubation period and mild or asymptomatic cases.

Despite this, thermal screening can still provide some level of reassurance to the public and help identify individuals with potential coronavirus infections. However, it should be combined with other measures, such as providing clear information and instructions on what to do if symptoms develop after arrival.

Health forms

Similarly, the Foreign Office in the UK advised travellers planning to change planes at Incheon Airport in Seoul, South Korea, that they would be required to undergo temperature checks and complete a health and travel history questionnaire. Anyone with a high temperature or deemed to have a high-risk travel history would need to pass immigration separately.

In the United States, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has considered implementing temperature checks and health screenings at airports. While the plan has not been finalised, it would involve referring passengers with temperatures of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In addition to temperature checks, health forms and questionnaires play a crucial role in identifying potential coronavirus cases. For example, in New South Wales, biosecurity staff and state health officials distributed pamphlets in multiple languages to passengers arriving from Wuhan, China. The pamphlets described the symptoms of infection and asked travellers to identify themselves if they were experiencing any symptoms.

In Rome, passengers on direct and indirect flights from Wuhan, China, to Leonardo da Vinci Airport were screened for potential signs of the virus. Individuals with suspected infections were quarantined at an infectious disease hospital. These measures demonstrate the importance of health forms and questionnaires in conjunction with temperature checks to identify and manage potential coronavirus cases at airports.

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