Justitication for Change

Quarantine Station Illness Response Forms:

Airline, Maritime, and Land/Border Crossing

Request OMB Approval of an Emergency Change to a previously approved Data Collection Form

March 28, 2011

Contact:

Paulette Ford-Knights

Office of Policy and Planning

National Center for Preparedness, Detection, and Control of Infectious Diseases

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

1600 Clifton Road, N.E., MS C-12

Atlanta, Georgia 30333

Phone: (404) 639-4895

Fax: (404) 248-4146

Email: pbf7@cdc.gov

Quarantine Station Illness Response Forms:

Airline, Maritime, and Land/Border Crossing

Request OMB Approval of an Emergency Change to a previously approved Data Collection Form

The CDC’s National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID) requests OMB approval to collect survey information for this study. CDC is requesting emergency approval to add a form to its existing OMB approval of 0920-0821 - Quarantine Station Illness Response Forms: Airline, Maritime, and Land/Border Crossing. The added form will be used as part of CDC recommendations for the Evaluation of Passengers from Japan in response to the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Emergency clearance is requested because the earthquake and tsunami was unanticipated and because delays in obtaining normal clearance would likely result in harm to affected populations.

Justification:

On March 11, 2011 at 0545 hrs, GMT, a magnitude 8.9 earthquake occurred 111 miles east of Honshu, Japan at a depth of 15.2 miles. A tsunami was generated which impacted the east coast of Japan. The Fukushima Nuclear Power Station was damaged during the earthquake which has posed a significant public health threat. The U.S. Government has recommended U.S. citizens leave the area 50 miles around the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant and has authorized a voluntary departure order from Japan. Many people are travelling from Japan to the United States directly and via numerous travel hubs.

Passengers returning to the United States routinely pass radiation detection devices when clearing Customs and Border Protection (CBP).  Part of CDC’s response is providing CBP with recommendations for evaluating passengers who enter the United States from Japan as they pass through these radiation detection devices. Interim Recommendation for Evaluation of Passengers from Japan (Attachment D), approved at the highest levels within the U.S. Government, includes the need to collect contact information from travellers so that CDC or state health authorities can follow-up and provide health advice should radioactivity be detected at certain levels. The recommendation also includes guidance on appropriate actions that need to be taken given radioactive levels. If level B or C is detected, CBP would then collect contact information so that CDC and State health authorities can follow-up and provide health advice.  Based on the current levels of radiation in Japan, CDC estimates 3 respondents per month at current travel volumes. Providing this contact information is voluntary, but will ensure travellers get the necessary follow-up advice.

The Division of Global Migration and Quarantine (DGMQ) currently has approval to systematically collect information enabling Quarantine Station staff to assess, detect and respond efficiently and accurately to communicable disease threats of potential public health importance or other conditions of public health interest at ports of entry .

The new Traveler Contact Information Form includes similar contact information that is already included on the demographic and general information section of the Illness Response Forms. Additionally, the form also includes an area for CBP staff to record results from their personal radiation detector. Completed forms will be transmitted via secure password-protected email to CDC’s Emergency Operations Center.

CDC has engaged in extensive discussions with legal counsel regarding legal authorities for this response.  Sections 301 and 311 of the Public Health Service Act provide the statutory reference for the Interim Recommendation for Evaluation of Passengers from Japan.  Approval of 0920-0821 provides for the response to communicable diseases or conditions of public health interest.    Implementation of this interim recommendation is part of the coordinated federal response to protect the US population and mostly the individual traveler who may have been exposed in Japan.

Attachments

Attachment A: Section 301 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act (42 USC 241)

Attachment B: Section 311 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act (42 USC 243)

Attachment C: Traveler Contact Information Form

Attachment D: Interim Recommendation for Evaluation of Passenger from Japan

Attachment E: List of Airport receiving Direct Flights to Japan