Coronavirus pandemic: Hundreds at risk as passengers wait in queues for hours to get tested at crowded airports
Travelers rushing home, worried about US President Donald Trump’s European travel ban threw some of America’s biggest airports into chaos during the weekend. At a time when health officials are urging Americans to keep their distance from one another to check the spread of COVID-19, US airports saw long, winding lines and people standing shoulder to shoulder, as they waited for as long as six to seven hours for medical screening and the Customs.
President Donald Trump said on March 11 that he is suspending all travel between the US and Europe for 30 days, beginning March 13 (Friday) to prevent the rising spread of the new coronavirus. The ban, however, did not apply to US citizens. The travel restrictions were subsequently extended to the UK and Ireland.
Subsequently, people rushed home during the weekend over fears they would be stuck in Europe. They were screened for coronavirus symptoms before they were allowed to leave the airport.
When passengers arrived in Dallas, Chicago and New York and other airports, they encountered long lines and confusion as a result of the mandatory medical screenings to check the spread of the coronavirus that took hours, as well as Customs. Passengers were crammed into just the kind of crowded spaces that public health officials have asked people to avoid.
“Karen Rogers, a passenger returning from Paris by way of London, had been waiting in line for at least five hours to be screened at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and was told she would have at least another hour to go, she said Saturday night,” reports CNN. O’Hare is one of 13 airports authorized by the Department of Homeland Security to screen passengers returning from restricted countries.
“Beth Kander, 38, returned from France to a "madhouse" at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, where she spent about five hours going from line to line. Kander told NBC News Sunday that her flight was only alerted to the screenings about an hour before landing,” reports NBC.
Northwestern University infectious disease expert Dr Robert Murphy said he was “appalled” on Saturday night when he saw chaotic pictures from O’Hare International Airport as employees scrambled to screen travelers returning from Europe.
He described the situation as dangerous, disorganized and disgraceful. “Persons arriving from epidemic areas of the world are then placed in a confined, crowded, inadequately ventilated area for six to nine hours. If they weren’t exposed to COVID-19 before, they probably are now. From a public health perspective, this is malpractice,” said Dr Murphy in a statement. He said the lack of preparation and concern does not reflect “poor planning, but it is no planning” since everyone was aware that “these at-risk Americans” were returning Saturday and Sunday.
The official O'Hare International Airport (ORD) twitter feed said, “Attention travelers: customs processing is taking longer than usual inside the Federal Inspection Services (FIS) facility owing to enhanced #COVID19 screening for passengers arriving from Europe. Thank you for your patience.”
It further said, “We're working with our federal partners to provide expedited International screening for the elderly and those traveling with young children.”
Mark Morgan, Acting Commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), tweeted on March 15 that CBP recognizes that the wait times experienced by passengers were unacceptable. He tweeted that to address long processing times, “CBP has engaged all local federal partners and stakeholders to develop operational plans at the 13 funneling airports to determine the most efficient and safe process flow for the traveling public.”
People took to social media to post images of chaos and confusion. One tweet said, “This is the scene at O’Hare airport. The traveler who took the photo said it’s a 6-hour wait for bags then on to customs for 2-4 more of waiting in shoulder-to-shoulder crowds. Police are handing out water and disinfectant wipe.”
Calling it a “perfect storm” for creating massive case clusters, another tweet said this happens “when you try to spin #COVID19 #coronavirus as a foreign threat and implement insane travel restrictions, instead of acknowledging community spread and targeting there.”
One passenger posted on Facebook, “Just finished 4 hours of re-entry at O’Hare International Airport. It was a complete disaster. If there was someone with coronavirus on any of the international flights that arrived today, you could not plan a better way of exposing them to as many people as possible.”
He added, Not only were we kept in a customs room with thousands of other international travelers for 4 hours, but the procedures and branches of the various stations shuffled the line so many times, that we frequently found ourselves beside more and more different travelers from different flights -- maximizing the exposure any one person could have to the surrounding travelers.”
People packed in such proximity at airports are a direct contraction to CDC guidelines which recommend social distancing and avoiding large gatherings of people. According to the CDC, the virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person, between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet). It spreads through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
Travelers also reported overcrowding at other airports such as the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport. “Upon landing at DFW International Airport, Kimberly Harris witnessed passengers who were in line for CDC screening skip the queue and join international passengers who did not need to be screened, she said. Harris returned from Johannesburg, South Africa, via London. It took her three hours to make it through passport control and customs, she said,” reports CNN.
A person tweeted, “Scenes from @DFWAirport right now, sent to me by someone who has flown in from Pakistan, has been in line for almost two hours. Says there’s only four lines open at immigration, asks is it safe to have so many people stuck together for so long during #coronavirus?”
The DFW airport tweeted from its official handle and said that it is one of 13 US airports accepting flights from Europe and other impacted regions. “We ask for your patience as CBP/CDC agents are conducting enhanced screening for passengers, which may cause additional delays. These measures are important for the health and safety of all,” it said.
At John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, the situation was similar. One passenger told CNN that it took over two hours to complete customs, while another said the average wait time for a health screening was two hours. “Frank Russo, the JFK port director for US Customs and Border Control. There are more than 50 emergency medical technicians on duty supplementing CDC staff, he said,” says the report.
A passenger tweeted, “Just waiting in a very long line with thousands of people to clear Customs at JFK T4. Not sure who's really taking things seriously.”
Many politicians severely criticized the Trump administration's lack of planning. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot called the situation unacceptable. “The reactionary, poorly planned travel ban has left thousands of travelers at ORD forced into even greater health risk. @realdonaldtrump and @CBP: No one has time for your incompetence. Fully staff our airport right now, and stop putting Americans in danger," she tweeted.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker aslo called the crowds and lines unacceptable and said the situation must be addressed immediately. “@realDonaldTrump @VP since this is the only communication medium you pay attention to — you need to do something NOW. These crowds are waiting to get through customs which is under federal jurisdiction,” Pritzker tweeted.
Chad Wolf, the acting secretary of Homeland Security, said that Homeland Security is aware of the long lines for passengers who are undergoing increased medical screening requirements. “Right now we are working to add additional screening capacity and working with the airlines to expedite the process. I understand this is very stressful. In these unprecedented times, we ask for your patience. It currently takes ~60 seconds for medical professionals to screen each passenger. We will be increasing capacity but the health and safety of the American public is first & foremost,” he said.
Trump tweeted Sunday, asking those stuck at airports to be patient. “We are doing very precise Medical Screenings at our airports. Pardon the interruptions and delays, we are moving as quickly as possible, but it is very important that we be vigilant and careful. We must get it right. Safety first!” he said.