This Is What It’s Like to Travel From Liberia to the U.S. Right Now
NPR producer Rebecca Hersher has seen the world’s somewhat-heightened Ebola security protocols first hand.
Hersher, who NPR says reported on Ebola in Liberia for the past two weeks, returned home on Tuesday and was (sort of) screened for the disease.
She tweeted each step of the process, from Liberia’s Roberts International Airport to the security agents in Dulles, Virginia.
It begins at Liberia’s airport, where she was handed a questionnaire seeking answers about her contact with Ebola, washed her hands with chlorinated water and had her temperature taken to check for fever.
Leaving Liberia, bound for DC. At ROB airport, handed this questionnaire before even entering terminal pic.twitter.com/y4cKJRMNmN
— Rebecca Hersher (@rhersher) October 13, 2014
Next, hand washing w/ chlorinated water. Still outside the terminal. @nprGlobalHealth
— Rebecca Hersher (@rhersher) October 13, 2014
“Take this and read it. You will be asked questions later” leaving Liberia @nprGlobalHealth pic.twitter.com/O4DIZoYe7R
— Rebecca Hersher (@rhersher) October 13, 2014
Leaving Liberia @nprGlobalHealth #Ebola pic.twitter.com/jeSWd6iSMc
— Rebecca Hersher (@rhersher) October 13, 2014
People waiting to have their temp taken (for the second time) before the flight. Leaving Liberia @nprGlobalHealth pic.twitter.com/aIW6oL3s3g
— Rebecca Hersher (@rhersher) October 13, 2014
Like everyone boarding planeon jasonbnpr gets temp taken before boarding the flight out of Liberia. @nprGlobalHealth pic.twitter.com/NE7OPlouH8
— Rebecca Hersher (@rhersher) October 13, 2014
Ebola symptom cartoon. At ROB airport, leaving Liberia. @nprnews @nprGlobalHealth pic.twitter.com/e8o8zB8ibK
— Rebecca Hersher (@rhersher) October 14, 2014
She arrived in Brussels, Belgium, exiting the plane “without any screening of any kind.” A customs agent there, seeing her departure city, remarked, “We are the only ones who will take you now.”
Upon arrival in Brussels from Monrovia, we exited the plane without any screening of any kind. @nprGlobalHealth @nprnews
— Rebecca Hersher (@rhersher) October 14, 2014
Brussels customs agent, hearing I was coming from Liberia. “We are the only ones who will take you now” On to DC. #ebola @nprnews
— Rebecca Hersher (@rhersher) October 14, 2014
Upon boarding a plane in Brussels bound for the United States, she was chosen for extra screening — but was only asked questions about her electronics. “No Qs abt health,” she tweeted.
Boarding plane in Brussels, chosen for extra screening. Asked me Qs abt electronics. Searched my bags. No Qs abt health. @nprGlobalHealth
— Rebecca Hersher (@rhersher) October 14, 2014
Finally, she arrived back in the states at Dulles, Virginia’s international airport. The airport, which serves 22% of airline travelers coming from Ebola-affected nations, is planning to begin screening for Ebola on Thursday.
Passport control at Dulles “Just so you know, everyone coming from Liberia… A person CDC is gonna talk to you” @nprGlobalHealth
— Rebecca Hersher (@rhersher) October 14, 2014
In line at customs, Dulles. @nprGlobalHealth pic.twitter.com/MJyd5q2roZ
— Rebecca Hersher (@rhersher) October 14, 2014
The NPR producer was only asked if she had contact with any “visibly sick people.” We assume she responded no, because soon she was free to go.
No CDC people to be seen at Dulles. Customs agent asked about contact w/ “visibly sick people”. And with that, free to go. @nprGlobalHealth
— Rebecca Hersher (@rhersher) October 14, 2014
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