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| Coronavirus: US airports in disarray over screening | Coronavirus: US airports in disarray over screening |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| US airports have been thrown into chaos as new coronavirus health screening measures for people returning from Europe come into force. | |
| Long queues formed as travellers waited for hours for the screenings before passing through customs. | Long queues formed as travellers waited for hours for the screenings before passing through customs. |
| Earlier, Vice-President Mike Pence said a ban imposed on travel from European nations would be extended to the UK and Ireland on Tuesday. | Earlier, Vice-President Mike Pence said a ban imposed on travel from European nations would be extended to the UK and Ireland on Tuesday. |
| The US has more than 2,700 confirmed cases, with 54 deaths. | The US has more than 2,700 confirmed cases, with 54 deaths. |
| Correspondents say there is a growing sense of unease and confusion in the US, with fears of a run on hospital beds and concern about childcare as tens of millions of students are sent home from school. | |
| In other developments: | |
| What has been happening at the airports? | |
| At Chicago O'Hare and Dallas DFW airports, passengers reported long queues as travellers returning from Europe waited to be screened as part of measures to combat coronavirus. | |
| The US administration has imposed a ban on non-Americans travelling from the 26 European countries in the Schengen free movement zone, which will be extended to the UK and Ireland as of Tuesday. | |
| US citizens are allowed to return but face screening. | |
| Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said the long lines at O'Hare were "unacceptable". | |
| People have been tweeting pictures and videos of passengers waiting to be processed, forming large crowds in airport terminals: | People have been tweeting pictures and videos of passengers waiting to be processed, forming large crowds in airport terminals: |
| Passengers are being questioned about their medical histories and checked for symptoms. | Passengers are being questioned about their medical histories and checked for symptoms. |
| Paige Hardy, a US graduate student returning from London, told the New York Times there was alarm on her flight to Dallas after a series of confusing announcements. | |
| "It truly felt like an apocalyptic scenario," she said. | |
| In New York, there were reports of a flight from Paris being boarded by customs agents wearing masks. | |
| Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said his office was working with airlines to improve screening times. | Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said his office was working with airlines to improve screening times. |
| Some public health experts have noted that waiting in crowded terminals could potentially lead to more people becoming infected with the virus. | Some public health experts have noted that waiting in crowded terminals could potentially lead to more people becoming infected with the virus. |
| On Friday, President Trump declared a national state of emergency to release $50bn (£40bn) to fight the spread of the virus. | On Friday, President Trump declared a national state of emergency to release $50bn (£40bn) to fight the spread of the virus. |