Opinion: Improve CDC’s quarantine stations to prevent the next pandemic

Improve CDC's quarantine stations to prevent the next pandemic Quarantine stations in U.S. ports of entry are a first line of defense against infectious diseases that threaten the country's national and global wellbeing. It's past time to upgrade and expand them. Patrick Skerrett STAT

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One agency essential to preventing the spread of disease is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine. This division serves as a first line of defense against global health threats by managing a network of quarantine stations that play a vital part in identifying infectious diseases and preventing their spread before they enter communities.

The NASEM report, “Improving the CDC Quarantine Station Network’s Response to Emerging Threats,” offers a roadmap for supporting and strengthening the Division of Global Migration and Quarantine to anticipate and respond effectively to prevent the next pandemic before it takes hold. Here are some of the report’s key recommendations. We and our colleagues hope the CDC and federal government will adopt them to prepare for — and help stop — the next pandemic. ...