Business As Usual At DIA Even With Ebola Precautions
DENVER (CBS4) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging airlines to take extra precautions and to keep an eye out for passengers who may show symptoms of Ebola, but for travelers at Denver International Airport it's been business as usual.
While airlines are following strict CDC guidelines on how to manage and report sick passengers, travelers at DIA were aware but not letting the news slow them down.
"I'm not really worried about travel, I'm more worried about it just getting out in the open in general," traveler Dixie Berkstresser said.
"If somebody coughs I just put a mask on it," another traveler said.
As far as changes seen during the flight, most said it was typical.
"They probably are working a little bit more subtle just because if they were overt about their actions it would cause that widespread panic," traveler Russ Taylor said.
The CDC's request to flight crews to better monitor their passengers comes after news that a man infected with Ebola flew from Liberia into the United States. The CDC addressed concerns that more needed to be done, saying their first priority is the safety of Americans.
"Although we might wish we could seal ourselves off from the rest of the world, there are Americans who have the right of return, there are many other people who have the right to enter into this country, and that we are not going to be able to get to zero risk no matter what we do until we control the outbreak in West Africa," CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden said.
The CDC has about 20 quarantine stations at major airports across the United States. DIA is not one of them but the CDC is considering adding more.