The Hellion

US declares emergency over coronavirus, announces temporary travel ban

Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar declared a public health emergency in the United States at a White House press briefing on coronavirus Friday.

U.S. citizens returning from Hubei province in the previous 14 days will be subject to up to a 14-day quarantine. Foreign nationals, other than immediate family members of U.S. citizens, who have traveled to China in the previous 14 days will be denied entry into the country. The temporary measures take effect Feb. 2 at 5 p.m.

Americans who've traveled to other parts of China in the previous 14 days will be subject to a health screening upon entry and asked to self-quarantine for up to 14 days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ordered a federal quarantine order for all 195 people who were evacuated from China and have been voluntarily quarantined at military base in California.

Those people were on a government-chartered flight earlier this week for American consulate staffers and private U.S. citizens from Wuhan. The quarantine, the first order of its kind in 50 years, will last for 14 days from when the plane left Wuhan, health officials said at a news conference Friday.

"We are preparing as if this was the next pandemic," Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said of the quarantine.

"If we take strong measures now, we may be able to blunt the impact of the virus on the United States," she added. "We would rather be remembered for overreacting than underreacting."

Messonnier stressed that Americans should not let panic or fear guide their actions and reiterated the CDC's recommendation that the general public does not need to wear face masks. She also called for people to not discriminate against Chinese Americans amid the outbreak.

Meanwhile, Delta Airlines, American Airlines and United Airlines suspended all of their flights to China as coronavirus cases in the country top 9,600.

Delta is temporarily suspending flights starting Feb. 6 through April 30, due to "ongoing concerns related to the coronavirus," the company said in a statement.

Until Feb. 5, flights will continue to operate, in order to ensure that passengers who want to leave China can do so. The final China-bound flight is scheduled to depart Feb. 3.

APC225

The canary in the coal mine for all of us will be whether applicants, CJOs, or those waiting for a class to start to see delays in the process. Please let us know.

Thor

We’re losing an estimated 12,000+ block hours per month on the international side and you don’t think the domestic side will scale?

wrxpilot

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Is that just because of a reduction in China flying, or a combination of international routes that have been cut?

kevbo

Howbout that pilot shortage!

Ruff226

I wouldn’t think there’d be a delay yet. I think the class reducing to 20 would keep pace with retirements until the max comes back. Besides, a class starting in mid March wouldn’t hit IOE until mid to late May. Hopefully this virus is under tabs by then.

Thor

Yes, it’s China flying. Like the Max, it’s not back until it’s back. That’s 2 widebody aircraft per city pair being cancelled that will be idled. With any luck they’ll use those jets to upgage current flying and salvage some yield. I doubt they’d be parked, however, it’s gonna be a shock to the network.

Lets see how good Kirby is