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‘Scared and Panicked’: Travelers Rush to Avoid Virus Quarantine ‘Scared and Panicked’: Travelers Rush to Avoid Virus Quarantine
(1 day later)
SAN FRANCISCO — Amid canceled flights, tightening global travel restrictions and looming plans to quarantine Americans returning from China, the tension at a handful of airports still receiving flights from the country mounted on Sunday. Travelers described a scramble for the few remaining tickets out of China, as federal officials readied military bases to house hundreds of people potentially exposed to the deadly coronavirus.SAN FRANCISCO — Amid canceled flights, tightening global travel restrictions and looming plans to quarantine Americans returning from China, the tension at a handful of airports still receiving flights from the country mounted on Sunday. Travelers described a scramble for the few remaining tickets out of China, as federal officials readied military bases to house hundreds of people potentially exposed to the deadly coronavirus.
“It feels like trying to leave Paris in 1940 or something — there’s a bit of panic settling in,” said Jeffrey Phillips, 41, who was unsure when his wife, Sue, would be able to return to the United States after a trip to visit her family in China.“It feels like trying to leave Paris in 1940 or something — there’s a bit of panic settling in,” said Jeffrey Phillips, 41, who was unsure when his wife, Sue, would be able to return to the United States after a trip to visit her family in China.
Under new federal rules that apply to United States-bound flights that take off after 5 p.m. Eastern time, American citizens who have been in China’s Hubei province, the epicenter of the epidemic, in the last 14 days will be subject to a quarantine of up to two weeks. Military bases said they were expecting to house about 1,000 such “evacuees.”Under new federal rules that apply to United States-bound flights that take off after 5 p.m. Eastern time, American citizens who have been in China’s Hubei province, the epicenter of the epidemic, in the last 14 days will be subject to a quarantine of up to two weeks. Military bases said they were expecting to house about 1,000 such “evacuees.”
Other United States citizens who have visited mainland China will undergo a health screening and can be ordered to quarantine in their homes for up to 14 days, according to the Homeland Security Department.Other United States citizens who have visited mainland China will undergo a health screening and can be ordered to quarantine in their homes for up to 14 days, according to the Homeland Security Department.
Waiting for a flight to arrive in San Francisco on Sunday before the new restrictions took effect, Jancey Gui, a student from China, said she and her friends exchanged frenzied messages after the United States announced the cutoff.Waiting for a flight to arrive in San Francisco on Sunday before the new restrictions took effect, Jancey Gui, a student from China, said she and her friends exchanged frenzied messages after the United States announced the cutoff.
“I was extremely scared and panicked,” she said. Ms. Gui rushed to change a ticket for her mother, who arrived on Sunday from the Chinese city of Xian.“I was extremely scared and panicked,” she said. Ms. Gui rushed to change a ticket for her mother, who arrived on Sunday from the Chinese city of Xian.
Under the restrictions announced by the Trump administration on Friday, foreign nationals who have been in China in the last two weeks will “generally” be denied entry into the United States. Federal officials said the rules were necessary to minimize the risk of the disease spreading further in the United States, where nine cases of the coronavirus had been confirmed so far, including one in the San Francisco area on Sunday.Under the restrictions announced by the Trump administration on Friday, foreign nationals who have been in China in the last two weeks will “generally” be denied entry into the United States. Federal officials said the rules were necessary to minimize the risk of the disease spreading further in the United States, where nine cases of the coronavirus had been confirmed so far, including one in the San Francisco area on Sunday.
“We pretty much shut it down coming in from China,” President Trump said in an interview taped Saturday with the Fox News personality Sean Hannity to air before the Super Bowl. “But we can’t have thousands of people coming in who may have this problem.”“We pretty much shut it down coming in from China,” President Trump said in an interview taped Saturday with the Fox News personality Sean Hannity to air before the Super Bowl. “But we can’t have thousands of people coming in who may have this problem.”
The number of lab-confirmed cases of the coronavirus stood at around 17,000 worldwide on Sunday, with over 360 reported deaths, all but one of them in China. A number of scientists now fear that the virus will become a pandemic — an ongoing epidemic on two or more continents, with potentially painful effects on health, travel and global commerce.The number of lab-confirmed cases of the coronavirus stood at around 17,000 worldwide on Sunday, with over 360 reported deaths, all but one of them in China. A number of scientists now fear that the virus will become a pandemic — an ongoing epidemic on two or more continents, with potentially painful effects on health, travel and global commerce.
[Has your travel been affected? Please contact us at coronavirus@nytimes.com if you are willing to be contacted by a reporter or have your comments used for an upcoming story.][Has your travel been affected? Please contact us at coronavirus@nytimes.com if you are willing to be contacted by a reporter or have your comments used for an upcoming story.]
All American citizens who have traveled in China within 14 days of their arrival home to the United States will be directed to one of 11 major airports in New York, Newark, Chicago, Detroit, Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Honolulu, Atlanta or outside Washington.All American citizens who have traveled in China within 14 days of their arrival home to the United States will be directed to one of 11 major airports in New York, Newark, Chicago, Detroit, Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Honolulu, Atlanta or outside Washington.
Mr. Phillips, who is from the St. Louis area, scrambled on Friday when several major airlines announced that they were halting flights out of China for weeks. His wife’s flight on American Airlines for Feb. 4 was canceled.Mr. Phillips, who is from the St. Louis area, scrambled on Friday when several major airlines announced that they were halting flights out of China for weeks. His wife’s flight on American Airlines for Feb. 4 was canceled.
“We might be separated for months,” he said. “We don’t know how bad this virus is going to get.”“We might be separated for months,” he said. “We don’t know how bad this virus is going to get.”
For now, the family has a hopeful backup plan: Ms. Phillips, 37, an American citizen, is booked through another airline on Monday on a flight to Korea, where she can then connect to a flight to Los Angeles, and then to St. Louis.For now, the family has a hopeful backup plan: Ms. Phillips, 37, an American citizen, is booked through another airline on Monday on a flight to Korea, where she can then connect to a flight to Los Angeles, and then to St. Louis.
“What I’m worried about now is, every day there’s more cancellations, more countries sealing off their borders,” Mr. Phillips said.“What I’m worried about now is, every day there’s more cancellations, more countries sealing off their borders,” Mr. Phillips said.
Senator Brian Schatz, Democrat of Hawaii, criticized the Trump administration for a lack of coordination that he said was creating confusion and concern among travelers.Senator Brian Schatz, Democrat of Hawaii, criticized the Trump administration for a lack of coordination that he said was creating confusion and concern among travelers.
“The White House is simply not equipped to handle this,” he said. “They have a number of vacancies that are creating a vacuum in leadership, and the communication that is required with state and local government and with impacted communities is very close to zero.”“The White House is simply not equipped to handle this,” he said. “They have a number of vacancies that are creating a vacuum in leadership, and the communication that is required with state and local government and with impacted communities is very close to zero.”
Hawaii’s lieutenant governor, Dr. Josh Green, who works in the emergency department at Kohala Hospital on the Big Island of Hawaii, agreed that coordination was lacking. “It was rushed,” he said, adding that “the Friday announcement online sent everybody into a frenzy without a comprehensive plan, and now everyone is being forced to race to that plan.”Hawaii’s lieutenant governor, Dr. Josh Green, who works in the emergency department at Kohala Hospital on the Big Island of Hawaii, agreed that coordination was lacking. “It was rushed,” he said, adding that “the Friday announcement online sent everybody into a frenzy without a comprehensive plan, and now everyone is being forced to race to that plan.”
Before last week, it had been more than 50 years since a federal quarantine had been issued, Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said at a news conference on Friday. That one was in connection with smallpox.Before last week, it had been more than 50 years since a federal quarantine had been issued, Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said at a news conference on Friday. That one was in connection with smallpox.
Passengers arriving at San Francisco International Airport on Sunday described a commotion to leave China. Richard Ren, a businessman who flew from Beijing, said he paid $2,000 to move his flight up by a day and make the deadline.Passengers arriving at San Francisco International Airport on Sunday described a commotion to leave China. Richard Ren, a businessman who flew from Beijing, said he paid $2,000 to move his flight up by a day and make the deadline.
“It was extremely tense,” Mr. Ren said in Mandarin. Like most passengers, he wore a mask as he walked through the arrivals hall and described an Air China flight across the Pacific where passengers used copious hand sanitizer, all the flight attendants wore masks, and passengers were deliberately seated with empty seats between them.“It was extremely tense,” Mr. Ren said in Mandarin. Like most passengers, he wore a mask as he walked through the arrivals hall and described an Air China flight across the Pacific where passengers used copious hand sanitizer, all the flight attendants wore masks, and passengers were deliberately seated with empty seats between them.
Mr. Ren and others arriving in San Francisco said they were not screened for symptoms when they arrived. But they described many screenings in China before their departure.Mr. Ren and others arriving in San Francisco said they were not screened for symptoms when they arrived. But they described many screenings in China before their departure.
Updated August 24, 2020 Updated August 27, 2020
Americans whose flights left after the 5 p.m. cutoff, and who had spent time in Hubei province, would be housed at one of four military bases for up to 14 days, the Defense Department said: Fort Carson in Colorado, Travis Air Force Base near San Francisco, Lackland Air Force Base in Texas or Marine Corps Air Station Miramar near San Diego.Americans whose flights left after the 5 p.m. cutoff, and who had spent time in Hubei province, would be housed at one of four military bases for up to 14 days, the Defense Department said: Fort Carson in Colorado, Travis Air Force Base near San Francisco, Lackland Air Force Base in Texas or Marine Corps Air Station Miramar near San Diego.
Each of the bases set up for quarantine have extensive, hotel-style quarters, the military said.Each of the bases set up for quarantine have extensive, hotel-style quarters, the military said.
About 200 Americans are currently quarantined at March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, Calif., after arriving Wednesday on a State Department-chartered flight from Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province.About 200 Americans are currently quarantined at March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, Calif., after arriving Wednesday on a State Department-chartered flight from Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province.
At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, one of the world’s busiest, federal health officials set up screening areas for arriving passengers, said Elise Durham, an airport spokeswoman. But the airport’s direct flight to and from China, a Delta flight to Shanghai, was suspended on Saturday, she said.At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, one of the world’s busiest, federal health officials set up screening areas for arriving passengers, said Elise Durham, an airport spokeswoman. But the airport’s direct flight to and from China, a Delta flight to Shanghai, was suspended on Saturday, she said.
The Transportation Security Administration has directed the airlines to determine if passengers traveled to China before allowing them to board their flights, a Department of Homeland Security official said.The Transportation Security Administration has directed the airlines to determine if passengers traveled to China before allowing them to board their flights, a Department of Homeland Security official said.
Customs and Border Protection officers have also been told to question travelers upon their arrival at one of the designated airports and comb through a travel history database to determine if they were in China, the official said. Anyone who has been in China within the past two weeks will be referred to officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for additional screening.Customs and Border Protection officers have also been told to question travelers upon their arrival at one of the designated airports and comb through a travel history database to determine if they were in China, the official said. Anyone who has been in China within the past two weeks will be referred to officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for additional screening.
The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to questions about how travelers would be transferred from the airports to quarantine facilities.The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to questions about how travelers would be transferred from the airports to quarantine facilities.
Since the United States announced the travel restrictions on Friday, a number of other countries, including Japan and Australia, have followed with their own.Since the United States announced the travel restrictions on Friday, a number of other countries, including Japan and Australia, have followed with their own.
“A lot of us airlines are trying to figure that out, candidly,” said Lisa Hellerstedt, a spokeswoman for Delta Air Lines, which is halting all fights from China after Sunday.“A lot of us airlines are trying to figure that out, candidly,” said Lisa Hellerstedt, a spokeswoman for Delta Air Lines, which is halting all fights from China after Sunday.
A number of travelers were critical of the Trump administration’s restrictions, which they described as rushed.A number of travelers were critical of the Trump administration’s restrictions, which they described as rushed.
“The deadline was too sudden, it ruined all our plans,” Kevin Luo, a passenger who traveled from China via Hong Kong and arrived in San Francisco on Sunday, said in Mandarin.“The deadline was too sudden, it ruined all our plans,” Kevin Luo, a passenger who traveled from China via Hong Kong and arrived in San Francisco on Sunday, said in Mandarin.
Amber Gao, also arriving in San Francisco, described a “fight” for the remaining tickets to the United States over the weekend.Amber Gao, also arriving in San Francisco, described a “fight” for the remaining tickets to the United States over the weekend.
“Every family member was on a computer trying to load tickets,” she said in Mandarin. “It was nerve wracking, because every time you loaded a new page, the ticket would disappear.”“Every family member was on a computer trying to load tickets,” she said in Mandarin. “It was nerve wracking, because every time you loaded a new page, the ticket would disappear.”
Vivian Lin and Thomas Fuller reported from San Francisco, and Richard Fausset from Atlanta. Julie Bosman contributed reporting from Chicago, Zolan Kanno-Youngs from Washington, Aimee Ortiz and Mariel Padilla from New York, and Dave Philipps from Los Angeles.Vivian Lin and Thomas Fuller reported from San Francisco, and Richard Fausset from Atlanta. Julie Bosman contributed reporting from Chicago, Zolan Kanno-Youngs from Washington, Aimee Ortiz and Mariel Padilla from New York, and Dave Philipps from Los Angeles.