Coronavirus Screenings Now at Philadelphia Airport, Free Library Cancels Chinese New Year Events

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Keith Brune, Philadelphia International Airport's chief operating officer, speaking at a news conference on Jan. 29, 2020. Image via Raymond W. Holman Jr., The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Screening travelers for the coronavirus has now expanded to Philadelphia International Airport, writes Catherine Dunn for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The enhanced screening will allow the Centers for Disease Control to detect the coronovirus and quickly respond to people entering the country with symptoms.

It will also educate travelers about what to do if symptoms develop.

The cronovirus screening is an expansion of an existing year-round CDC quarantine system already in place at Philadelphia Airport.

Passengers who go through Customs and Border Protection will be referred to the CDC and screened if they traveled in an infected area or exhibit symptoms.

Coronavirus, a respiratory illness, originated in Wuhan, China, and has sickened thousands.

Several major airlines said Wednesday they were reducing service to China. Philadelphia Airport has no direct flights to China.

Concern over the virus led the Free Library of Philadelphia to cancel all of its 2020 Chinese New Year public performances and programs.

James Garrow, a spokesperson for the Department of Public Health, urged people to maintain perspective.

“The health department feels that the risk of infection from novel coronavirus to the average Philadelphian is very low,” Garrow said in an email.

Read more about the expanding screenings here.

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