Ebola coming to a town near you.

[guncrasher]

That is an even stronger argument for banning travel into the US from West Africa.

Precautions are like armor.  They don't preclude everything, but they cut down the probability of a bad event.  An effective precaution is one that gives much more value in protection than it costs to implement.  Banning travel into the US from West Africa is simple to do.  5-10 African countries have already done that.

In my view, it is completely stupid and irresponsible not to have a travel restriction in place.

what you guys dont understand is that the only true way to stop ebola from coming into this country is total isolation.  I mean no flight from anywhere.  you think people from west africa only travel to the united states?  they travel everywhere, europe, asia, Australian, england....

and none of those countries have banned travel from infected countries.  and we have americans travel to those countires.



semp

[xPoisonx]

Semp Brooke just said it would reduce the risk not eliminate it. And btw if you think the best way to prevent it is stopping all flights anywhere, what about ships?

[Brooke]

what you guys dont understand is that the only true way to stop ebola from coming into this country is total isolation. 

People understand that just fine.  You, however, seem to think that if you can't make a risk zero that it's not worth reducing at all.

and none of those countries have banned travel from infected countries.

Yes, many countries have not put in place travel bans.  But 5-10 African countries have done so.

Consider cockpit armor.  It doesn't preclude 100% of shots hitting the pilot.  Should all nations therefore have forgone cockpit armor?  Of course not.  It made a significant difference because it significantly reduced risk for an acceptable cost (in this case, for an acceptable weight and acceptable small reduction in performance).

[Someguy63]

Total isolation is impossible for any country, especially one like the US. This was noted by the CDC the other day they can only lower the risk not eliminate it.

[Brooke]

Semp Brooke just said it would reduce the risk not eliminate it.

Yes, I know.  That's my point:  reducing risk can be good even if you can't reduce 100.0000000000000000000000000 00000000000000000000000000000 000000000% of risk.

And btw if you think the best way to prevent it is stopping all flights anywhere, what about ships?

Probably not many Liberians travelling into the US via ship compared to hundreds per day on airplane.  However, you know how when you travel to another country and have to show your passport before you board the plane, train, boat; before you can drive your car across the boarder; and before you can walk through the boarder checkpoint -- and the person checking your passport won't let you through under various circumstances (like if you have no passport or are on some sort of travel-ban list)?  It's just like that.

[zack1234]

Zack, Zack, Zack..................Don't be jealous of the U.S.A. just because we did what no one else could or has.  Besides i hear that your country is attempting a manned landing on the sun next year, they have solved the problem of the extreme heat, and it was simple engineering.......you boys are going to go at night!  Genius, pure unadulterated genius.

You actually believe the USA landed on the moon

It made out cheese

[Arlo]

You actually believe the USA landed on the moon

It made out cheese

No it isn't. That's why we stopped going back. 

[Brooke]

It made out cheese

Specifically, Wensleydale.

[pipz]

You actually believe the USA landed on the moon It made out cheese

Framunda cheese? 

[ghi]

2nd person tested positive for Ebola in US: health care worker same hospital in Texas maybe more to follow, the incubation period is up to 21 days;

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/10/13/us/texas-health-worker-tests-positive-for-ebola.html?_r=0&referrer=

[Hap]

Just saw the press conference.  Those guys looked grim. 

Guess the test came back positive just before midnight Saturday.  CDC to run a follow up test today with results available later in the day.

Glad I work today.  This matter will be the rage on news shows until the CDC releases their results.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

The health care people have been extremely foolish to take the patients into big cities. They should have been treated in containment areas in some rural area or preferably in Africa. Now millions may die.

[guncrasher]

The health care people have been extremely foolish to take the patients into big cities. They should have been treated in containment areas in some rural area or preferably in Africa. Now millions may die.

ripley, take the patient out of the hospital, into the airport, in another plane, into another airport.  just from the texas hospital to the airplane how many people you think could be at risk?


semp

[MrRiplEy[H]]

ripley, take the patient out of the hospital, into the airport, in another plane, into another airport.  just from the texas hospital to the airplane how many people you think could be at risk?


semp

I'm referring to the cases where they took known infected people to outside countries for treatment. Spain has an epidemic in their hands for example. And also in the US huge mistakes were made, they sent the feverish patients to home even though they said they were in contact with ebola patients. Same thing happened in Spain so nobody knows exactly how many are already infected.

In the US the situation couldn't have been totally avoided due to the Liberian case, although if I could decide all passengers from around those areas would be quarantined, spare no expense.

[CAP1]

It's no more contagious than the aids virus, so that's a crock. You have to physically contact BODILY FLUIDS with a cut to contract it. Fear is no excuse to deny the best help possible for those who risk all to help others. Denying them help is frankly, inhuman.

 think hep-c, 'cause that's about how easily it's transmitted.