Restrictions on travel between the U.S. and West African countries that are battling Ebola took effect on Wednesday morning.
Under the new rules, which were announced on Tuesday by the Obama administration, passengers who are flying from West Africa will have to be rerouted to one of five major airports that have been set up to provide enhanced screening for symptoms of the deadly Ebola virus.
The changes were an effort by the Obama administration to rebut criticism from Republicans in Congress of resisting calls for a total flight ban between the U.S. and West Africa.
{mosads}Administration officials have said that the enhanced screening that was previously put in place at the five major airports already ensured that 94 percent of passengers from the African nations that are battling the disease were screened. The Obama administration said rerouting the flights would include the remaining 6 percent, which officials estimated would translate to approximately nine passengers per day.
Approximately 90 lawmakers have said publicly that they support some form of an Ebola travel ban since the first domestic diagnosis of the deadly virus was reported last month.
Citing health officials, the White House has argued a flight ban would complicate Ebola relief efforts in West Africa and not boost security in the U.S. because there are few flights directly from the region to domestic airports. Most travelers from West Africa, including the first Ebola patient diagnosed in the U.S., Thomas Eric Duncan, have to pass through European airports to reach the U.S.
Administration officials have also said an outright travel ban would make it more likely for passengers to lie about visiting countries that are prone to Ebola.
Republicans have called a travel ban a “common-sense” way to stop the potential spread of Ebola in the U.S.
The airports that West African passengers are now being rerouted to are Washington Dulles International Airport, O’Hare International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.