Airport Disease Screening Processes Miss Up to 75% of Infected Travelers, UCLA Study Finds
Airport screening procedures to combat the spread of infectious diseases, such as SARS, Ebola and H1N1, miss 50% to 75% of infected travelers, according to a UCLA study. The study notes that most screening processes rely on travelers to self-report their exposure to diseases in questionnaires, which many individuals might not answer honestly. The report adds, "Increasing honest exposure reporting not only has the potential to enhance detection of infected travelers, but is essential for implementation of follow-up monitoring of travelers who may have been exposed but have not yet developed symptoms."
- "Airport Screening Misses More Than Half of Infected Travelers, Study Says" (Martin, Los Angeles Times, 3/8).