Without strict guidance, a lot of people are guessing at what to do. Experts say it’s indicative of the problems with the response from both local and federal officials. “I feel like we’re on a high-speed train, and they’re making decisions based on where we are right now on that train and not where we’re going to be in an hour,” said Lawrence Gostin, of Georgetown University.
The Wall Street Journal: For Travelers Returning From Coronavirus Hot Spots, Little Clarity On Quarantining
Newton, Mass., health authorities faced a tough decision whether to quarantine a school group returning from a trip to Italy on Feb. 29. Making the choice more difficult: a lack of direction from the U.S. government. “It would have been very helpful to me to have clearer guidance around travelers from different countries,” said Deborah Youngblood, the commissioner at the Newton Department of Health and Human Services. It decided, with input from state health and school officials, that the 19 Newton North High School students and two chaperones should stay home for 14 days and monitor themselves for symptoms. (Abbott and Ansari, 3/4)
The New York Times: What It’s Like To Come Home To The Stigma Of Coronavirus
Frank King has gotten death threats. So many angry strangers have called his phone in recent weeks that he changed his number. And his neighbors have offered to bring food to his doorstep if he would just agree to stay inside his house. “I have a whole new respect for the plight of pariahs,” said Mr. King, who was among 650 Americans who returned to the United States last month after being stuck for more than a week on a cruise ship that no country initially allowed to dock because of fear of coronavirus. (Stockman, 3/4)
Meanwhile —
The Hill: Cicilline Urges CDC Chief To Alert States Of Travelers From Any Countries With Coronavirus
Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) called Tuesday on the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to alert state governments to incoming travelers arriving from countries experiencing coronavirus outbreaks. In a letter obtained by CBS affiliate WPRI, Cicilline pointed to recent reports of the virus in Rhode Island resulting in dozens of state residents being monitored for the disease as an example of why agencies should be alerted as early as possible to potential carriers. (Bowden, 3/3)
The Hill: TSA Chief Says More Countries Facing Travel Restrictions Over Coronavirus ‘Soon’
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) chief said Tuesday that more countries will face travel restrictions over the coronavirus “soon.” TSA Administrator David Pekoske made the comments during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security hearing on Tuesday. “There will be additional countries, I’m sure, as we continue to work with the task force, and I think those announcements will be relatively soon,” Pekoske said. (Coleman, 3/3)
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