The United States has restricted arrivals from China to just seven airports. The move comes as the world attempts to restrict the spread of the Coronavirus outbreak.

In the past month, the Coronavirus outbreak, which started in Wuhan, China, has grown into a public health emergency. Now, as governments around the world are evacuating citizens from Wuhan, the US government has responded. The Department of Homeland Security has restricted airports arriving from the United States to just seven points of arrival. These airports will each have a heightened availability of resources to protect public health.

Semi-flight ban

The Department of Homeland Security has placed a semi-ban on flights departing from China. While not a flat out ban on flights from the country, only seven airports are now able to receive flights from China. These measures are in accordance with a Presidential Proclamation, in addition to Acting Secretary Chad F. Wolf's direction.

All those flying from America to China will be re-routed to one of the following airports:

  • John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York;
  • Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Illinois;
  • San Francisco International Airport (SFO), California;
  • Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Washington;
  • Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), Hawaii;
  • Los Angeles International Airport, (LAX), California; and
  • Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Georgia.
Coronavirus, United States, Arrival Airports
The airports permitted to accept arrivals from China. Photo: GCMaps

Passengers need not fear about additional costs, as they will be rerouted at no cost. They are being sent to these airports, as they will host an enhanced screening proccess for coronavirus. Any rerouted passengers who are given the all-clear will be rebooked on to their final destinations. They will then be asked to self-quarantine themselves. However, if it is discovered that one or more of the passengers have been to China on a flight not destined for one of these seven airports, the flight will be rerouted to an appropriate facility.

What will this achieve?

Rather than spread resources thinly over many airports, the DHS is choosing to concentrate them at a few key points of entry. Anybody who has been to China within the past 14 days will need to travel via one of these airports.

coronavirus temperature check getty images
Touchless tech will help temperature screening become more efficient. Photo: Getty Images

However, should a passenger have visited Hubei province, or is showing symptoms of coronavirus, they will be quarantined for 14 days in line with the policies of a number of other nations. According to the World Health Organisation's latest statistics, there are currently eight confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United States of America.

Of the situation, Mr. Wolf said,

“The American public can be assured that DHS and its component agencies are taking decisive action to analyze the threat, minimize risk, and slow the spread of the virus by working closely with CDC health professionals and interagency partners involved in this whole-of-government effort."

Will you be rerouted due to recent travel to China? Is this an unnecessary inconvenience, or the right thing to do? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.