Cuomo: Washington Should Consider Ebola Travel Ban
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is saying the federal government "should seriously consider" a ban on flights traveling to New York from three West African nations plagued by Ebola.
Cuomo, a Democrat up for re-election next month, said Monday it was "not in his job description" to make decisions about closing airports.
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He also noted that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs New York City's airports, doesn't have the authority to stop the flights.
But he said Washington should consider a ban on travel from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
President Barack Obama has declined to impose a ban.
Cuomo's Republican rival, Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, has repeatedly called for the flights to be stopped. Earlier this month, Cuomo said a ban wouldn't be effective.
"Because you'll just fly to another country, and then you'll come in from that country," Cuomo told WCBS 880's Marla Diamond then.
Astorino went a step further Monday, saying entire planeloads of passengers should be turned away in New York if anyone aboard is traveling from the West African nations plagued with Ebola.
In a conference call with reporters, Astorino said that even American citizens -- for example, a tourist returning from Paris -- should not be allowed to disembark.
Astorino said Cuomo should order the state health commissioner to "close those gates at the airport."
He said action by the state is necessary because the federal government is unwilling to act.
A call to the Cuomo campaign seeking a response to Astorino's remarks was not immediately returned.
Last month, Thomas Eric Duncan, a Liberian man, flew to the United States and was later diagnosed with Ebola and died. Two nurses treating him at a Dallas hospital have also become infected.
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