Orlando International Airport will not be taking action against the coronavirus, due to not having direct flights from Wuhan, China. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has asked certain airports with direct or connecting flights from Wuhan, the area impacted most by the coronavirus, or COVID-19, to take part in additional screening of passengers; however, Orlando International Airport was not one of these. 

“We will continue to collaborate with health officials, monitor the situation for changes, and will act accordingly,” said Rod Johnson, assistant director of public affairs of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority.

The CDC is screening passengers from direct or indirect flights from Wuhan in Los Angeles International, John F. Kennedy International, San Francisco International, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson, and Chicago O’Hare International airports.

MCO, despite being named the “Best Large Airport” by USA Today and having a record-breaking 50.6 million international and domestic passengers visiting in 2019, takes direction from the Florida Department of Health and the CDC. 

The CDC reports that 90% of all passengers arrived or traveled through one of these five airports; therefore, they created a more intensive screening process for only those airports. 

COVID-19 is not currently spreading in the United States, according to the CDC. In the United States, the CDC reports that 443 people are being investigated for the virus as of Feb. 14, and Florida has no confirmed cases of the virus. Globally, the CDC has confirmed 50,580 cases of the coronavirus as of Feb.15. 

MCO, the busiest airport in Florida, was recently named the first-ever airport operation to earn full accreditation by the Emergency Management Accreditation Program. 

“As the busiest airport in the state of Florida, receiving this accreditation should provide an extra layer of comfort for the traveling public because they can know that Orlando International is prepared to respond to any emergency situation,” said Phil Brown, CEO of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority.

In order to receive the accreditation, MCO was judged on a variety of areas, including program management, administration and finance, prevention, communications and warning, training and incident management, among others.

Update as of March 5, 2020: The airport has ongoing preparedness efforts and the emergency management team has met “with officials from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), local and county public health officials, EMS agencies, law enforcement and federal partners to discuss potential scenarios and review the airport’s emergency health plans, which cover COVID-19 (Coronavirus) response protocols,” according to a press release the airport sent out.

“For public health incidents such as this, the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) relies on proven and established emergency response plans,” says Tom Draper, Senior Director of Airport Operations for the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority. “Similar to potential hurricanes, GOAA leaders have been actively monitoring the Coronavirus and communicating with our partners in regards to action plans or necessary steps in response to the COVID-19.”  

According to the press release, the airport’s emergency health plan includes the following: 

• “Identifying which agency will respond to a potential situation, GOAA, local and/or federal agencies 

• Identifying the appropriate course of action including the potential of diverting flights to federally-identified quarantine stations (which Orlando is not) 

• How to respond to varying numbers of potential patients and those around them onboard an aircraft 

• Securing extra protective equipment for first responding Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) personnel should an incident arise 

• Increasing the airport’s cleaning schedule.” 

This time is also cold and flu season and officials from the CDC continue to urge people to take routine health precautions like covering their mouths when coughing or sneezing and regularly washing your hands. The press release also stated that, “Following standard cleaning recommendations, Orlando International had already increased the airport’s cleaning schedule to best combat the cold and flu season.”

MCO has not been affected by the illness, but airport leaders are prepared to respond as necessary and as directed by the CDC.

For more information regarding the travel ban put in place, read our article here.

Updated by Nicole LaBosco