MEASLES OUTBREAK RAISES PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS FOR AIRLINES
April 9, 2025
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On March 7, 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) issued a Health Alert Network (“HAN”) Health Advisory to inform potential travelers on prevention and monitoring efforts following recent measles outbreaks across the United States. Our readers may remember prior CDC orders relating to the Ebola virus disease in which airlines were required to conduct contact tracing and passenger funneling to designed U.S. airports for passengers arriving from at risk destinations. Like prior Ebola outbreaks, U.S. public health officials are working with foreign air carriers to mitigate exposure.
According to CDC, if a passenger presents symptoms compatible with measles (e.g., fever, cough, coryza (runny nose), and conjunctivitis (pink eye), rash) while onboard, air carriers should consider the following control measures when managing sick travelers:
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Ask the sick person to wear a face mask. If a face mask is not available or the sick person cannot tolerate a mask, ask the passenger to cover his or her mouth and nose with tissues when coughing or sneezing.
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Minimize contact of passengers and cabin crew with the sick person.
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Treat any body fluids (including sputum or other respiratory secretions) as potentially infectious.
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Separate infants, travelers who may have a weakened immune system, and pregnant passengers without known immunity to measles as far as possible from the sick person.
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Upon arrival, ventilation systems should be kept running and CDC health officials or airport emergency medical services should promptly board the aircraft to rapidly assess the sick person.
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The possibility of transmission to other passengers and crew on board the aircraft should be assessed by public health officials upon arrival.
Please be advised that deaths and illnesses that occur on domestic flights and international flights arriving in the United States must be reported to CDC. Should you have any questions about this public health concern, please let us know. Otherwise, we will monitor the situation closely and provide updates as necessary.
This Aviation Blog is intended to keep readers current on developments in the law. It is not intended to be legal advice. If you have any questions, please contact Evelyn Sahr at 202.659.6622 or esahr@eckertseamans.com; Drew Derco at 202.659.6665 or dderco@eckertseamans.com; Patrick Bornstein at 407.625.4050 or pbornstein@eckertseamans.com, Jay Julien at 202.659.6648 or jjulien@eckertseamans.com; or Tyler Myers at 202.659.6642 or trmyers@eckertseamans.com, or any other attorney at Eckert Seamans with whom you have been working.
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