Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
20 October 2014 10:08
Passengers being screened at Heathrow for Ebola
Plans to expand Ebola screening to more airports across Britain should help reassure passengers travelling abroad.
For many it may have seemed that the health crisis was a million miles away, with most of those infected living in Africa. But the emergence of cases in Europe and the US have caused concern closer to home.
The outbreak has encouraged the UK government to take action, and screening at airports of people entering the country from certain areas of West Africa will now be a far more common sight.
Measures are already in place at Heathrow and Gatwick, as well as the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras. Once officials are satisfied the measures are working smoothly at these locations, they intend to start screening at airports in Birmingham and Manchester.
The crisis will have prompted travellers to consider taking out medical travel insurance and - while the risks of Ebola are not great unless visiting infected areas - it is always handy to have such cover in case of other emergencies while abroad.
Chief Medical Officer Dame Sally Davies describes the risk to the UK as "low", but Prime Minister David Cameron is worried that the quality of checks in other European countries may not be of the same standard as those in Britain.
Why the UK is low risk
Becoming infected with the Ebola virus is unlikely in the UK unless you have travelled to areas infected with the disease or had direct contact with a person with Ebola-like symptoms.
While the virus could arrive in the UK by plane, there are a number or reasons why a rapid spread of the disease is doubtful.
- The virus is not as easily transmitted as a respiratory virus such as flu.
- People with Ebola are not infectious until they have developed symptoms, such as a fever. The disease then progresses very rapidly. This means infectious people do not walk around spreading the disease for a long period.
- Britain has a resilient public health system with the necessary staff and facilities to contain cases of Ebola.
- Border Force have been trained to identify possible cases of Ebola, while f light crews know how to respond quickly to any passengers who develop symptoms during a flight.
19 September 2017
Manchester's Girlguides are being urged to help the elderly with a new badge incentivising youngsters to tackle senior loneliness.
[more...]
16 September 2017
Holidaymakers are being evacuated as winds up to 200km per hour hit Central Vietnam, with Typhoon Doksuri damaging houses, roads and infrastructure.
15 September 2017
People in parts of East Anglia are eight times more likely to survive liver disease than Blackpool residents, according to new data by Public Health England (PHE).
14 September 2017
A non-invasive alternative to gastric bypass surgery that helps people with Type 2 diabetes lose weight is being recommended for widespread use by NHS experts.
13 September 2017
Almost half of UK adults travelling to areas at risk of malaria are not covering themselves by taking medication, despite recommendations made by the NHS and world health organisations.
12 September 2017
A new health warning has been issued by scientists in Sweden, suggesting e-cigarettes with nicotine could lead to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.
09 September 2017
Researchers have developed a futuristic pen-like device that can tell whether someone has cancer much faster than current technology.
08 September 2017
A staffing crisis in the NHS is seeing cancer patients turned away from their GP surgery and instead visiting A&E, a report has claimed.
07 September 2017
Whether it's binge-watching box-sets, shopping for clothes, chatting to friends or picking up work emails, staying connected is pretty much essential to everyday life.
06 September 2017
Around 1 in 2 GPs do not know that black men have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer, research has suggested.
05 September 2017
Many middle-aged men have hearts in a condition that makes the organ seem older than the men's actual age, a new study has revealed.
02 September 2017
Every cancer diagnosis should involve a discussion about stress, according to an expert investigating the biological impact of "fight-or-flight" responses.