The Trump administration has placed American citizens currently in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on a 'do-not-board' list, preventing them from returning home until they have spent 21 days in a third country. This move comes amid an ongoing Ebola outbreak that is reportedly outpacing response efforts.

Roughly two dozen Americans who were set to board flights back to the US on Tuesday have already been blocked by this new rule, with unclear implications for government workers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has at least 24 employees currently working in the DRC.

The order, taken under a transportation authority known as Title 49, adds to stringent and controversial travel restrictions imposed by the administration. Health experts continue to be critical of such measures, which they argue have historically been unsuccessful and harmful. They discourage transparency about outbreaks and disease risks, hurt economies, and create stigma.

Specifically, these restrictions concern humanitarian aid workers who may face difficulties in their vital mission. Ebola is not a respiratory virus; it transmits via contact with bodily fluids from sick or recently deceased individuals. It can be spread through close personal contact and has been described as a disease of compassion due to its tendency to spread among families and caregivers.