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Airport screening for Ebola: 5 things to know

By WTOP Staff

ALICIA A. CALDWELL
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration announced Wednesday that airline passengers arriving from the three West African countries experiencing an unprecedented Ebola outbreak will now be screened for potential exposure to the deadly disease when they arrive at five major U.S. airports. The screening will include having their temperatures taken.

Five things you need to know about the screenings:

1. THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS

Customs and Border Protection agents stationed at New York’s Kennedy, Newark Liberty, Washington’s Dulles, Chicago’s O’Hare and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta airports will be screening passengers. The effort begins in New York on Saturday and expands to the other airports over the next week.

There are no nonstop flights to the U.S. from Liberia, Sierra Leone or Guinea, the three hardest-hit countries. Nearly 95 percent of the roughly 150 people traveling daily from or through those West African countries to the United States land first at one of the five airports selected for extra screening. Customs and Border Protection agents stationed at other airports and border crossings will also be on the lookout for any visibly sick passengers.

2. THEY KNOW ALL THE STOPS

Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Wednesday that officials in his department can track passengers all the way back to where their trips began. He said even if someone arrives in the U.S. after making several stops, Homeland Security will be able to identify them and screen them for possible Ebola exposure when they arrive.

3. NO-TOUCH TEMPERATURE TAKING

Mayorkas and the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Tom Frieden, said DHS employees at airports will use no-touch thermometers to take the temperatures of passengers who have come from or through West Africa. The screeners won’t wear masks or any of the other scary-looking protective gear seen in photographs and video from West Africa. Mayorkas said those precautions haven’t been deemed medically necessary.

Agents will also be asking questions about the passengers’ travel and potential contact with anyone who may have been infected with Ebola.

4. FEVER!

Frieden said Wednesday that people who have a fever will be interviewed to determine whether they may have had contact with someone infected with Ebola. Case-by-case, health workers will direct the passenger either to the local medical system or public health system for possible treatment or routine follow-ups, including daily temperature readings for the 21-day Ebola incubation period. There are quarantine areas at each of the five airports that can be used, if necessary.

Frieden said health officials expect to find many travelers who do have fever, but that doesn’t mean they are all infected with Ebola. He said about 1 of every 500 people leaving West Africa has an elevated temperature, but most are suffering from malaria or some other ailment.

5. FELLOW TRAVELERS ON THE AIRCRAFT

Thousands of people pass through customs and immigration screening areas at the five airports daily and most won’t be pulled aside for extra screening.

Frieden said because the number of passengers from the three West African countries is so few — about 150 daily — the extra screening isn’t expected to disrupt normal operations.

He said security and health authorities “think it’s manageable.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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