SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) — For the last several days there have been changes for certain international travelers arriving at SFO due to the coronavirus. 

“What is different is who is being screened,” SFO spokesman Doug Yakel said. “Prior to Sunday, just those who had been in the Wuhan area [were being tested.] Now, anyone who has been in China in the last 14 days.” 

While initially on Sunday that seemed to cause some delays in the customs process, international travelers arriving Tuesday said they were in and out of customs in 15 to 45 minutes. 

Part of that could be due to the fact that many airlines have stopped or reduced the number of flights to and from mainland China.

“It’s at a point now where it’s a 50% reduction in flying between SFO and mainland China and that could continue,” Yakel said. 

The U.S. government’s decision to ban entry to all foreign nationals who have been in mainland China in the last 14 days has reduced demand but among those stranded are full time U.S. workers who are here on visas who are trying to get back. 

Corporate immigration attorney Kelli Duehning’s firm works with numerous Bay Area companies that employ foreign nationals on a full time basis. Some of these companies have two to 300 U.S. workers stuck in China. Not knowing when they can return could be bad news for these local companies.  

“Some of these folks are working on high level projects and are essential employees to the projects that these companies are doing in the United States,” Duehning explains. 

These workers were in China either for work or vacation. These businesses are hoping these travel restrictions on foreign nationals can be eased at least for those who are full time U.S. workers.

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