Denver International Airport Taking Steps To Ease Coronavirus Concerns
DENVER (CBS4) - More passengers traveling through Denver International Airport are opting to wear masks, but health official agree that properly washing your hands is a much better defense against coronavirus. DIA officials agree, and to help ease concerns have added gallons of hand sanitizer and wipes at gates.
"Our cleaning staff is always here. They're here 24-7. They're working to keep the airport clean. They have increased the frequency in which they clean restrooms and our train system," said DIA spokeswoman Emily Williams.
While many passengers were indifferent about the addition of the hand sanitizers, some took it upon themselves to take additional precautions.
Daniel Stewart who landed in Denver Wednesday, was wearing his mask despite the looks he said he was getting from other passengers.
"I almost feel like I'm freaking people out. You know, the woman on the plane, I said 'Hey, you know, I'm not sick. I just had a mask so I decided to use it,'" he continued, "I just felt like there's no reason to take a chance."
Stewart has business in China that has recently come to a halt. He has been sending masks to his colleagues, which he bought in bulk about a month ago.
The World Health Organization says if you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask when taking care of a person suspected of having COVID-19.
The airport is not currently being monitored by the CDC and says it will make enhancements as needed.
"The CDC is the organization that determines where screening of passengers should occur. At this time, Denver International Airport has not been identified by the CDC as one of those airports," Williams said.
While airlines have reported declines in passenger travel, the airport says the impact to its passenger numbers has yet to be seen.
"DEN has not seen a decrease in passenger traffic to date. We expect there will be some impacts, but we don't know the extent of those impacts at this time. January passenger traffic was up nearly 6% and February appeared to perform well," said Williams, who expects final February to be available in the coming weeks.
Additional Resources
Visit DIA's website at flydenver.com. For the latest on the coronavirus from the CDC, visit cdc.gov.
