New York Teams Up With Four More US States to Crack Down on Airport Health Measures as New Entry Rules Affect International Travellers in 2027

New York is joining a wider network of states in strengthening airport health preparedness as new federal Ebola-related entry rules introduce additional checks for international travellers entering the United States. The measures, implemented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on November 3, 2026, require covered passengers to declare that they have not visited or transited through the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during the previous 21 days. Alongside New York, California, Florida, Texas and Georgia are reinforcing their existing public health readiness through airport monitoring, hospital preparedness and disease surveillance. However, these are nationwide federal requirements rather than a formal alliance between states. With the current CDC order due to expire on December 18, 2026, its continuation into 2027 remains uncertain, leaving international travellers facing an evolving set of entry and preboarding requirements.

While these five states maintain established infectious disease surveillance and emergency preparedness systems, the new declaration is a nationwide federal requirement. No formal five-state enforcement alliance has been confirmed.

The current CDC order expires on December 18, 2026, unless extended or amended, meaning its application to international travel in 2027 remains undecided.

What Are the New US Airport Health Measures?

The CDC’s updated requirements introduce several changes to international passenger processing, airline responsibilities and public health monitoring.

Seven New Measures Affecting International Travellers

1. Mandatory health declaration: All covered international air passengers must sign an attestation confirming no presence in the DRC during the preceding 21 days.

2. Stricter boarding verification: Airlines must check completed declarations before allowing passengers to board US-bound aircraft.

3. Twenty-one-day travel restriction: Travellers who have recently been in the DRC generally cannot board until Day 22 after leaving the country.

4. Expanded crew coverage: The requirement includes operating flight crew, cargo aircraft personnel and crew travelling on positioning assignments.

5. Digital and paper documentation: Airlines may collect declarations electronically or through approved paper procedures.

6. Mandatory record retention: Aircraft operators must retain passenger declarations for at least 42 days and provide them to federal authorities upon request.

7. Targeted health screening: Separate CDC measures require certain travellers with recent histories involving Uganda or South Sudan to undergo additional screening or comply with entry restrictions.

These measures strengthen federal oversight before international passengers reach US airports, shifting part of the public health verification process to airlines operating overseas departures.

US Entry Rules 2026–2027: Key Facts and Statistics

New York: JFK Airport Faces New Federal Boarding Checks as State Maintains Health Surveillance

New York is among the most significant international aviation gateways in the United States, making the new CDC requirements particularly relevant to airlines operating services into John F. Kennedy International Airport.

International passengers travelling to New York must now complete the federal Ebola attestation before boarding, regardless of whether they are arriving from Europe, Asia, Africa or other regions.

The New York State Department of Health maintains infectious disease surveillance and preparedness programmes involving local health departments, hospitals and emergency medical providers.

The state’s response focuses on identifying potential infections, coordinating medical assessments and ensuring healthcare professionals understand relevant exposure risks.

Measures affecting New York include mandatory federal preboarding declarations, hospital preparedness, traveller health assessments when indicated and coordination between public health agencies.

New York’s extensive domestic travel connections make effective communication particularly important. International passengers arriving at JFK may continue to neighbouring states, creating a need for cooperation between federal authorities and regional healthcare networks.

However, no additional New York-specific Ebola boarding restriction for 2027 has been confirmed.

California: Los Angeles and San Francisco Maintain Stronger Hospital Preparedness and Traveller Monitoring

California’s international aviation infrastructure connects the United States with major destinations throughout Asia, Europe and the Pacific.

Los Angeles International Airport and San Francisco International Airport are affected by the nationwide CDC attestation requirement, placing additional documentation responsibilities on airlines serving these gateways.

The California Department of Public Health has issued Ebola-related clinical guidance addressing early identification, patient isolation, infection prevention and coordination with local health departments.

The state also maintains procedures for assessing travellers who may require public health follow-up after arriving from affected regions.

California’s principal measures include:

• Federal verification of passenger travel declarations.
• Hospital preparedness for suspected Ebola infections.
• Coordination of traveller monitoring with local health authorities.
• Infection-control guidance for healthcare professionals.

California’s large international connecting networks demonstrate why the CDC requirement extends beyond direct travel from affected countries.

A passenger travelling from Japan, the United Kingdom or Australia must still complete the declaration even without a recent visit to the DRC.

Florida: Miami and Orlando Focus on Tourism Safety and Infectious Disease Preparedness

Florida’s international tourism industry places the state at the centre of efforts to maintain safe travel while complying with federal public health requirements.

Miami International Airport and Orlando International Airport serve extensive international passenger networks, making airline communication and documentation compliance particularly important.

The Florida Department of Health maintains infectious disease surveillance through its 67 county health departments, supporting early reporting, investigation and medical coordination.

Florida’s existing public health framework includes procedures for suspected Ebola cases, laboratory testing, patient isolation and contact investigations.

New federal measures affecting Florida include mandatory international passenger declarations, boarding verification and airline record retention.

These requirements operate alongside the state’s established healthcare response systems rather than replacing them.

For tourists visiting Miami, Orlando or other Florida destinations, the CDC declaration is an additional predeparture requirement, not a separate state tourism restriction.

Texas: Houston and Dallas Reinforce Ebola Detection and Emergency Health Reporting

Texas has considerable experience with Ebola preparedness following the first case diagnosed in the United States during the 2014 outbreak.

The Texas Department of State Health Services issued an Ebola-related health advisory in May 2026, encouraging healthcare professionals to assess recent travel histories and promptly report suspected infections.

Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport are major international connecting hubs affected by the new federal attestation requirement.

Texas’s preparedness framework includes immediate disease reporting, clinical isolation procedures, diagnostic testing guidance and public health investigations.

The principal measures affecting Texas are federal passenger declarations, airline boarding verification and existing state medical reporting requirements.

These arrangements support the identification and management of suspected infections while allowing international aviation operations to continue under federal public health rules.

Georgia: Atlanta Strengthens Airport Health Readiness Through Specialised Medical Infrastructure

Georgia holds an important position in America’s infectious disease preparedness network because Atlanta hosts the CDC headquarters and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The Georgia Department of Public Health operates a specialised Infectious Disease Network developed following the 2014 Ebola outbreak.

The network supports the assessment, transportation and treatment of patients with high-consequence infectious diseases.

Georgia’s Infectious Disease Preparedness Statistics

Georgia also promotes the Identify, Isolate and Inform approach among healthcare professionals, supporting rapid recognition and reporting of suspected infections.

For international passengers arriving in Atlanta, the CDC attestation provides an additional federal safeguard, while Georgia’s established medical network supports potential public health responses.

How the New Airport Health Measures Differ Across Five States

The federal requirements are consistent nationwide. Differences between states primarily concern healthcare infrastructure and public health response capabilities, not separate entry rules.

Additional Restrictions for Travellers From Uganda and South Sudan

Beyond the DRC attestation, the CDC maintains separate Ebola-related travel restrictions involving Uganda and South Sudan.

US citizens and nationals who have recently visited these countries, without having been in the DRC, may enter through designated airports where additional public health screening is conducted.

Non-US citizens and non-US nationals, including lawful permanent residents, face restrictions under the CDC’s current guidance if they have been in Uganda or South Sudan during the preceding 21 days.

These separate measures make nationality, recent travel history and the applicable federal order important considerations for passengers travelling through affected regions.

Will the New US Airport Health Measures Continue Into 2027?

The CDC’s current attestation order is scheduled to expire on December 18, 2026.

Federal authorities may extend, amend or withdraw the requirement after reviewing Ebola outbreak conditions, transmission risks and public health developments.

An extension could require airlines to continue collecting passenger declarations, verifying recent travel histories and retaining compliance records into 2027.

However, no extension has been confirmed as of November 7, 2026.

For travellers planning US journeys next year, checking updated CDC requirements before departure will be essential, particularly when itineraries involve countries subject to additional health restrictions.

What the New Measures Mean for International Aviation and Tourism

The latest CDC requirements mark an important development in US aviation health compliance, placing greater emphasis on preventive verification before passengers board international flights.

For airlines, the changes create additional responsibilities involving documentation, passenger communication and secure record management.

For travellers, the measures introduce a mandatory declaration that operates independently of visas, ESTA authorisations and conventional immigration checks.

New York, California, Florida, Texas and Georgia remain important parts of the national preparedness framework because of their international aviation networks and established public health capabilities.

As the United States approaches 2027, the future of these temporary measures will depend on federal public health assessments rather than independently announced state restrictions.

The immediate requirement is clear: international passengers must comply with the CDC’s current attestation rules, while airlines must verify the required declarations before boarding.

New York teams up with more states to strengthen airport health measures as new federal entry rules introduce mandatory Ebola-related travel declarations and boarding checks for international travellers, raising fresh questions about US travel requirements in 2027.

In conclusion, New York teams up with more states in strengthening airport health preparedness as the United States responds to the 2026 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The reason behind these enhanced airport health measures is to identify potential exposure risks before international travellers board US-bound flights. New federal entry rules require covered passengers to complete mandatory travel declarations, while airlines must verify documents and retain passenger records. New York, California, Florida, Texas and Georgia are reinforcing their existing disease surveillance, hospital preparedness and emergency response capabilities. However, these efforts do not represent a formal alliance between the states, as the requirements apply nationwide under federal CDC authority. With the current order scheduled to expire on December 18, 2026, its continuation into 2027 remains uncertain. International travellers should monitor official CDC announcements and check the latest entry requirements before departure to avoid unexpected boarding restrictions and travel disruption.

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