Identifying travellers from affected countries and screening for symptoms and/or risk exposures on arrival Increases public awareness Requires travellers to Contact New Zealand Customs to (supported by seek their cooperation in to identify possible cases information held by border identifying travellers from affected or exposed travellers at the officials) countries at arrivals desk (or time of their entry in the SmartGate/eGate) and country May be difficult to ensure undertaking screening accuracy of information (eg, Enables information to be contact details, fraudulent Identify screening criteria (eg, given to people who may be vaccination certificates) symptoms and/or exposure risk) at higher risk Language barriers need to be Draft standard operating Facilitates management of addressed procedure for implementation, contacts including reporting Need to manage travellers’ Facilitates early management personal data Provide advice to New Zealand of cases detected Customs for drafting operational Management of self-reports Detects travellers who do not orders (including personal have adequate vaccination Cost of providing vaccination protective equipment) cover and enables them to be (including vaccinations for Provide training for Customs offered vaccination staff) officers who are undertaking In the absence of World screening Health Organization Travellers screened by Customs are recommendations, such isolated and given a more detailed measures must not cause health risk assessment by public significant delays for travellers health officers (including temperature monitoring if required): Identify isolation area Identify risk assessment criteria Provide advice/guidance to public health officers Train public health officers, ensure availability of all appropriate equipment Develop reporting templates and procedures Visual Screening of Travellers: Visual screening methods may be additional to screening travellers from affected countries for symptoms or high-risk exposures. It may assist in identifying ill travellers but only if there are obvious signs of illness, and it is unlikely that visual screening (as with screening measures in general) will assist in detecting all ill travellers. Arrangements for visual screening at international air and sea ports will require trained personnel and further medical assessment if ill travellers are detected. In some countries, initial medical assessment, including visual screening, has been implemented at designated points of entry, such as international airports. Potential benefits Limitations/consequences Action points (Actions required to prepare for implementing a measure, on planning, readiness and debriefs from responses or exercises, etc) Visual screening aims to identify arriving ill travellers who might be visibly ill –
Identifying travellers from affected countries and screening for symptoms and/or risk exposures on arrival Increases public awareness to identify possible cases or exposed travellers at the time of their entry in the country Enables information to be given to people who may be at higher risk Facilitates management of contacts Facilitates early management of cases detected Detects travellers who do not have adequate vaccination cover and enables them to be offered vaccination Requires travellers to (supported by information held by border officials) May be difficult to ensure accuracy of information (eg, contact details, fraudulent vaccination certificates) Language barriers need to be addressed Need to manage travellers’ personal data Management of self-reports Cost of providing vaccination (including vaccinations for staff) In the absence of World Health Organization recommendations, such measures must not cause significant delays for travellers Contact New Zealand Customs to seek their cooperation in identifying travellers from affected countries at arrivals desk (or SmartGate/eGate) and undertaking screening Identify screening criteria (eg, symptoms and/or exposure risk) Draft standard operating procedure for implementation, including reporting Provide advice to New Zealand Customs for drafting operational orders (including personal protective equipment) Provide training for Customs officers who are undertaking screening Travellers screened by Customs are isolated and given a more detailed health risk assessment by public health officers (including temperature monitoring if required): Identify isolation area Identify risk assessment criteria Provide advice/guidance to public health officers Train public health officers, ensure availability of all appropriate equipment Develop reporting templates and procedures Visual Screening of Travellers: Visual screening methods may be additional to screening travellers from affected countries for symptoms or high-risk exposures. It may assist in identifying ill travellers but only if there are obvious signs of illness, and it is unlikely that visual screening (as with screening measures in general) will assist in detecting all ill travellers. Arrangements for visual screening at international air and sea ports will require trained personnel and further medical assessment if ill travellers are detected. In some countries, initial medical assessment, including visual screening, has been implemented at designated points of entry, such as international airports. Potential benefits Limitations/consequences Action points (Actions required to prepare for implementing a measure, on planning, readiness and debriefs from responses or exercises, etc) Visual screening – aims to identify arriving ill travellers who might be visibly ill
responding-public-health-threats-international-concern-nz-air-sea-ports-aug16.docx