No pandemic affect expected for air traffic

No pandemic affect expected for air traffic

CDC strategy to reschedule international flights not expected

Scott Powers | Sentinel Staff Writer
11:24 AM EDT, June 11, 2009

No changes in international air traffic to Orlando International Airport or any other American airport are expected as a consequence of today's declaration, by the World Health Organization, of a Phase 6 international pandemic of swine flu.

While the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Department of Homeland Security and Department of Transportation recently jointly developed an influenza pandemic strategy that includes the rescheduling of all incoming international flights to 19 American airports in the case of a worldwide health emergency, such a decision would be based on a variety of factors, chiefly assessments of the risks to the American public, according to a spokeswoman at the CDC, which has lead responsibility for U.S. responses. Orlando International Airport is not one of the 19 airports in the strategy.

The CDC is planning a press conference this afternoon to further discuss its role and ramifications of the WHO declaration. Earlier this week CDC spokeswoman Shelly Sikes Diaz said any decisions regarding international air traffic into the United States would be made at "a very high level" of U.S. government, and would not be based on WHO's pandemic index.