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MCC Daily Tribune Archive

Planned travel to Guinea, Liberia, or Sierra Leone - What You Need to Know Prior to Traveling


Dear Staff, Faculty, and Students,

If you are planning to travel to Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone or Mali you will be subject to quarantine restrictions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), and local health department, for up to 21 days upon your return to the United States if you meet certain criteria.

Air travel from these countries is restricted.  Generally you will be required to land at one of five selected U.S. airports.  At the airport you will be screened by the CDC and/or the NYSDOH, for your health status and your activities during travel.  You will receive an Ebola Care Kit ( https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/travelers/care-kit.html). CDC/NYSDOH may impose restrictions on your movement or activities (e.g., quarantine at home or at a controlled location, self-monitoring for symptoms or monitoring under close observation of a health department official, prohibition from certain modes of public transportation, etc).  If you are returning to a New York State location, your restrictions will be enforced by the local health department.

It is highly recommended that prior to traveling to any of these areas, for any reason, that you contact the Monroe County Health Department (MCHD) to alert them of your plans. They will assist you in establishing an agreed upon plan for when you return for a seamless transition back to the U.S. and instructions for guided surveillance to protect you, your loved ones, and the general public.  It is your responsibility to keep yourself and everyone else safe should you choose to travel to these countries.  The  MCHD numbers are:

Byron Kennedy, MD, PhD, MPH <"mailto:bkennedy@monroecounty.gov">

Commissioner of Public Health
Phone: 585-753-2989
FAX: 585-753-5115      

Mary Younge, Manager, Public Health Nursing                                        
Phone: 585-753-5123
                                                                                                                                                               
Kathy Carelock
Manager, Epidemiology/Disease Control
Phone: 585-753-5071

If you would like more information on travel restrictions please see: < https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/> and <https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/ebola/docs/screening_protocol_jfk.pdf>.

Additional information regarding Ebola may be obtained at the SUNY Ebola Health Advisory website: <https://www.suny.edu/health-alert/> or the CDC publication, Top Ten Things You REALLY Need to Know about Ebola: <https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/pdf/top-10-things.pdf>.

Jacqueline Carson
Health Services
12/15/2014