Hartsfield-Jackson begins screening West Africa passengers for Ebola

Southwell said passengers on Atlanta’s daily flight from Lagos, Nigeria, will also get extra questioning.

He also said the U.S. Coast Guard will step in to help U.S. Customs and Border Protection with the screening of passengers, and the Centers for Disease Control will also be stationed at the airport. Other employees are also being trained, including Atlanta Fire Rescue, which respond to calls of ill people in the airport.

If someone is suspected of having Ebola and meets certain conditions, workers will don protective suits, Southwell said. The airport does not have a special ambulance for Ebola, he said, but if an ambulance were used for such transport it would be treated afterward.

“There is a tremendous amount of training” around use of gloves, such as instruction to not touch the face while wearing the gloves, Southwell said. But not all employees who work in and around the airport have received training yet.

Southwell said the airport is handling airport employees who travel to the region on a case-by-case basis. One employee who returned from Nigeria agreed to a temporary paid leave of absence, he said.