Agencies
Questions have been raised about government plans to introduce enhanced screening for Ebola at major airports and terminals, after Gatwick said it knew nothing about the measures.
The move has also been criticised by health experts, with one describing it as a “complete waste of time”.
Further details of what the screening would involve were not available from Public Health England yesterday.
Checks are to take place at Heathrow, Gatwick and Eurostar terminals, but a spokesman for Gatwick said yesterday that the airport had not been given any instructions about how the screening should be carried out.
“We’ve not had anything at all,” he said. “We’re still waiting for Public Health England (to let us know).”
David Mabey, professor of communicable diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said the screening was a “complete waste of time”.
“Firstly, there won’t be anyone coming from these (West African) countries because all direct flights have been cancelled,” he said. “Are they going to screen everyone from Brussels, Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam? That would lead to a lot of delays and disruption.
“Secondly, why would anyone admit that they have been in contact with someone when they’re in a hurry to get through immigration control when they arrive at the airport? “People will have been screened before getting on flights and may seem to be healthy if they’re not yet showing symptoms.
“And then what will they do if they think they do have Ebola? Lock them up in solitary confinement?”
Mabey said that instead, the government should be concentrating on increasing awareness of what people should do if they think they might be at risk.