Today President Trump took
decisive action to minimize
the risk of the spread of novel
coronavirus
in the United States.
Since taking office,
President Trump has been
clear his top priority is
the safety
of the American people.
In addition to the steps
that the doctors have outlined,
we continue to operationalize
a multilayered, cross-agency,
public health response.
Following the World Health
Organization's decision
to declare the 2019 novel
coronavirus virus
a public health emergency
of international concern,
I have today declared
that the coronavirus presents
a public health emergency
in the United States.
The actions we have taken
and continue to take complement
the work of China and the World
Health Organization
to contain the outbreak
within China.
In accordance
with the declaration,
beginning at 5:00 PM Eastern
Standard Time Sunday, February
the 2nd, the United States
government will implement
temporary measures to increase
our abilities to detect
and contain the coronavirus
proactively and aggressively.
Any US citizen returning
to the United States who has
been in Hubei province
in the previous 14 days,
will be subject to up to 14 days
of mandatory quarantine
to ensure they are provided
proper medical care and health
screening.
To be clear, this applies only
to US citizens who have been
in Hubei province in the past 14
days
prior to their attempted entry
into the United States.
Any US citizen returning
to the United States who has
been in the rest
of mainland China
within the previous 14 days
will undergo proactive entry
health screening
at a select number of ports
of entry
and up to 14 days
of monitored self-quarantine
to ensure they've not contracted
the virus
and do not pose a public health
risk.