Guiding Principles for Health Screening and Management for International Travelers
Guiding Principles
1. Effective implementation of a well designed targeted approach to health screening, isolation and quarantine of international travelers at travel ports is an effective method of control of international transmission of infectious diseases.
2. Ineffective blanket approaches on health screening of international travelers should be avoided.
3. Health Screening and Management of International Travelers should be based on scientific evidence. The World Health Organisation (WHO) is the global reference organization on the prevention and control of the SARS epidemic and other infectious disease outbreaks.
Measures for International Travelers
1. Pre-departure Screening
Pre-departure screening is required for all passengers departing from areas recommended by WHO. These areas are classified through daily reports as having "recent local transmission" of SARS and fall into WHO categories B and C.
Pre-departure screening is required for all passengers departing from areas recommended by WHO. These areas are classified through daily reports as having "recent local transmission" of SARS and fall into WHO categories B and C.
This procedure is implemented before boarding or at the time of checking-in. Procedures should include, at a minimum, the application of a standardized health declaration form containing basic questions recommended by WHO for exit screening.
Temperature screening using an appropriate means may be deemed necessary. Travelers detected with suspected SARS symptoms should not be allowed to board the conveyance but should instead be referred promptly to a physician for medical attention or clearance for travel.
2. Arrival Screening
Proper screening of arriving passengers from areas with recent local transmission of SARS is necessary to ensure effective control of SARS transmission. Passengers should not be refused entry merely because they are from SARS affected areas. Proper medical screening should be undertaken prior to making a determination of entry.
Proper screening of arriving passengers from areas with recent local transmission of SARS is necessary to ensure effective control of SARS transmission. Passengers should not be refused entry merely because they are from SARS affected areas. Proper medical screening should be undertaken prior to making a determination of entry.
For air checkpoints, the host economy should allow individuals suspected of having SARS to seek medical treatment with appropriate isolation or quarantine within the host economy without discrimination. Appropriate control measures should be imposed upon persons in close contact of the suspected case in compliance with related regulations of the host economy.
The extent and intensity of the implementation of pre-departure and arrival screening measures can be adjusted at the discretion of each APEC member economy taking into account domestic situations, its laws and health systems.
It is noted that effective pre-departure screening can be more useful and cost effective than screening at the arrival point. However, screening at the arrival point is still necessary in order to identify persons who may have developed symptoms while in transit or who may not have been identified prior to departure. Protocols for land and sea travelers should be worked out bilaterally, where appropriate, between economies that share common land and sea borders.
3. Other Measures
APEC member economies should consider participating in the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Anti-SARS Airport Evaluation Programme to strengthen anti-SARS measures at the airports to prevent the transnational spread of SARS and restore confidence in air travel.
APEC member economies shall follow relevant WHO recommendations for management of passengers suspected of SARS and for the disinfection of conveyances.
4. Information Management
Host economies shall ensure prompt exchange of relevant information on SARS cases detected and their contacts with other member economies. This is important for an effective tracing and quarantine of contact cases in departure member economies, in order to halt the spread of SARS transmission.
Economies should use the existing communication channels among APEC members, including the WHO Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network. Member economies will assign a national focal point on SARS to keep updating relevant information on a regular basis.
Economies should take into account the best evidence available including that provided by WHO in preparing their travel advice regarding SARS and other emerging infectious diseases.
5. The Way Forward
The guiding principles should be reviewed regularly after implementation to assess their effectiveness and associated cost. It should be renewed when there is more scientific evidence on prevention and control of SARS and other infectious disease outbreaks.