CDC Order Requires All US-Bound Air Travelers and Crew to Attest They Have Not Been in Congo in Past 21 Days

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), part of the Department of Health and Human Services, has issued an order on travel for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It requires all air travelers, including crew, flying into or connecting through the United States to sign an attestation that they have not been present in the DRC in the last 21 days. The order takes effect at 11:59 PM EST on November 3 and applies to all flights departing for the US at or after that time. It responds to an outbreak of Ebola in remote areas of the DRC.

The CDC first issued the order on October 2 and clarified it on October 28. The clarification confirmed that it applies to crew and passengers on any aircraft, including cargo services, and to crew on "deadhead" status, meaning those aboard a flight but not carrying out duties. The CDC states that "the overall risk to the American public and travelers remains low."

The 21-day period reflects the maximum incubation period of the disease. Being present in the DRC means physically entering or traveling through the country by land, air or sea, even if the person does not leave the airport or aircraft. Day zero is the day the individual leaves the DRC, and day one is the first full day outside the country; affected people may enter the US only from day 22.

Airlines are responsible for collecting and retaining the attestations for at least 42 days, and the CDC may request them to confirm compliance and to support public health investigations if Ebola cases occur in the US. Travelers sign before boarding, and one authorized individual, such as a parent or guardian, may sign for each member of a travel party. Anyone refusing to sign will be denied boarding, and those who submit false information can be prosecuted and fined. The order is currently set to run until December 18 unless the CDC changes the rules earlier, and it may be extended if the outbreak continues.

Airlines have some freedom in how they run the process. Delta Air Lines allows the attestation at check-in via its app or website and sends a link in the check-in reminder 24 hours before departure.

American Airlines allows it during check-in on its website, on the app, at the airport or via a printable PDF. United Airlines offers it only as a confirmation step during check-in. On JetBlue, one person can complete the form for multiple passengers traveling under the same booking.

The order places the burden of verification on carriers rather than on government screening at the border. Because the attestation must be signed before boarding, retained for at least 42 days and producible on CDC request, the airline's check-in flow and records system become the enforcement point. The differences between Delta, American, United and JetBlue show that the CDC left the mechanism to each carrier, so passenger experience and error rates will vary by airline.

The scope is wider than a typical passenger rule. By covering cargo services and deadhead crew, the order reaches operators whose staff never appear in a passenger check-in queue, and by covering connections through the US it applies to itineraries that merely transit American airports. Any operator with crew rotating through the DRC has to track the 21-day clock per person, counting day zero as the departure from the country.

The next dated milestone is December 18, when the order is set to expire unless the CDC changes the rules earlier or extends it because the outbreak continues.