Travelers Say Coronavirus Outbreak In China Won't Deter Plans
BOSTON (CBS) - The White House on Friday declared a public health emergency in response to the coronavirus outbreak in China. Passengers returning from Hubei province, the center of the outbreak, will be required to undergo 14 days of quarantine. Travelers returning from other parts of China will be screened and potentially monitored by their local health departments at home.
The U.S. also announced that all flights from China will be funneled to seven major airports where passengers can be screened. The airports include New York's Kennedy Airport, Atlanta, Chicago's O'Hare, LAX, San Francisco, Seattle and Honolulu.
At Logan Airport Friday afternoon, passengers heading home to China were greeted by airline employees wearing masks and keeping sanitizer close by. But many passengers said the outbreak of the coronavirus doesn't deter their travels.
"I think there's not so much to worry about," an exchange student anxious to return to China said. "We are trying to control the virus many people have already recovered."
Zheng Xunlei was hoping to bring home more than a box of masks where they are in short supply, but even in the Boston area they are selling out.
Passenger Haru Huang was arriving at Logan Airport to return to school and admits he's a little relieved to have left China for now. "Most people they would like to stay at home," Huang said. "So there's no people on the street."
Passengers to Boston say they are asked a few travel questions at Logan but are being screened for health conditions back in China and on the plane before they land.
"On the plane they do take the thermometer scanner to test your forehead see if you have any fever or anything like that," passenger Richard Suder said.
More airlines are now temporarily cancelling flights to China, but even as he heads to his home in Beijing, Zheng Xunlei says he's prepared to be indoors and at home for work. "The boss informs I can stay in home and use the computer to work in home," Xunlei said.
The flu-like virus has killed at least 213 people, all of them in China. Almost 9,900 people are infected there, with about 130 cases in 22 other countries.
