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HEALTH CONTROL—GENERAL
On 1st July, the Aircraft General Declaration, containing the health declaration section, was
discontinued by agreement between the airlines and the Home Office, the Treasury and Excise
and the Department of Health and Social Security.
The details which were provided on this Form and which were of interest to the Health
Control Unit, included the route of the flight, the names of the last change of aircrew, the numbers
of passengers disembarking and the numbers in transit, together with reports of illness, other
than airsickness or the effects of accidents. At the time that this proposal was discussed, certain
disadvantages were pointed out to the Department of Health and Social Security, but it was
agreed that if airline captains had anything positive to report regarding illness on board they would
pass such information by radio. One effect has been that it is no longer possible to classify the
origin of flights and of passengers into various areas, e.g. Asia, Africa, Central and South America,
etc. This has been accepted by the authorities. Some of the other information formerly supplied
could be obtained, should need arise, from alternative sources.
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

Tonsillitis, upper respiratory tract infection, pharyngitis, septic throats and bronchopneumonia
were the causes of other admissions.
Smallpox
No cases of smallpox were reported in the United Kingdom during 1971, although on five
occasions at Heathrow it was necessary to call upon the services of a Smallpox Consultant for
examination of a suspect passenger.
In two instances the suspect condition was recognised during flight. It was therefore possible
to record the names and addresses of all passengers and crew before they disembarked. In the
other three instances, suspicion was aroused respectively during certificate presentation at the
check point, at the immunisation room when a doubtful certificate was being examined by the
Medical Officer, and in the cubicle area during routine immigrant examination. Only in the first
of these was it possible to obtain names and addresses of potential contacts and then by no means
all of them.
Routine inspection of vaccination certificates was carried out of persons arriving at Heathrow
from or beyond countries of Asia and from most countries of Africa. In addition, spot checks were
made of passengers from Asia who had transferred to London-bound flights at Frankfurt and
who had not been subject to health control at that port. As was the case in 1970, the number of
such passengers who failed to present valid certificates was insignificant.
During the year, the USA announced a modification of the smallpox vaccination requirements
for entry to that country. The presentation of vaccination certificates is now only in regard to
persons who have within the previous 14 days been in countries reporting smallpox. This does
not, however, represent an elimination of the requirement for proof of immunisation against
smallpox. Retention of the requirement allows for flexibility by the United States Public Health
Service.
By this modification, the United States falls in certain respects into line with the United
Kingdom, which normally does not require passengers from either the United States or Canada
to present smallpox vaccination certificates on arrival.
The number of passengers placed under surveillance for smallpox during the year was 2,603;
the number of passengers who were isolated in hospital was 92.
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