With federal officials stepping up screening efforts at major U.S. airports, a member of Wisconsin’s congressional delegation says more needs to be done to prevent the spread of the Ebola virus. “We should be at the border control stations, understanding that anybody who’s been in either Sierra Leone, or Liberia or Guinea over the last 30 days, if they get into America, they’re going to be isolated for 28 days,” said Senator Ron Johnson.
“To me that’s a prudent action,” the Wisconsin Republican told Durand radio station WRDN. “I’d much rather be safe than sorry in this case, and we haven’t done that yet.” Johnson said he is also concerned that the Centers for Disease Control is not providing enough information on controlling the spread of the virus.
Customs and health officials at airports in Washington, Chicago, Atlanta and Newark will take the temperatures of passengers from the three West African nations starting Thursday. Screenings began at New York’s Kennedy International Airport Saturday.
Governor Scott Walker said Monday that he’d look into extra screenings at Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, if necessary. But he said state government in Wisconsin is ready to deal with public health issues at airports and elsewhere.