NFT: Why do we still allow flights from Sierra Leone?

There are no scheduled flights from Freetown Sierra Leone to the U.S. Everyone must connect.

Passangers from Sierra Leone coming to the U.S. will simply reroute their flights to London, Paris or some port whose flights to the U.S are not affected.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry and other officials told a news conference Wednesday that the man with the first case of Ebola diagnosed in the United States had contact up to 18 people, including "some school-age children."
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Well, maybe Florida?

crap.

Officials said five students at four different schools, two elementary schools, a middle school and a high school, had had contact with the patient over the weekend.

I am guessing family visit?

In comment 11893940 Rob in NYC said:

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Officials said five students at four different schools, two elementary schools, a middle school and a high school, had had contact with the patient over the weekend. I am guessing family visit?

You would be correct.

...to know this as well.

And no BS and conjecture and politically correct crap.

Why would there be no review of travel policy, why would there be no explanation either way of why travel would still be unrestricted from these areas connecting flights or no.

I can think of not one plausible reason why there would still be unrestricted or at least some review of any flights from these affected countries. If you are a US citizen and you travel there and want to come back that is your problem now. Why would someone's right to travel outweigh the public health risk to us all?

Also, how the hell did this hospital let this guy go? Is this the most incompetent hospital in the US? How does someone with a travel history from ground zero of this epidemic allowed to go home when they have symptoms of ANY kind?!?!

Also, the CDC goes on and on about the American healthcare system being so great. Well, they fucked up the case with this guy by letting him go when he came to the hospital on 9/24.

In comment 11893959 rocco8112 said:

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Also, how the hell did this hospital let this guy go? Is this the most incompetent hospital in the US? How does someone with a travel history from ground zero of this epidemic allowed to go home when they have symptoms of ANY kind?!?! Also, the CDC goes on and on about the American healthcare system being so great. Well, they fucked up the case with this guy by letting him go when he came to the hospital on 9/24.

Because the guy didn't tell the hospital where he flew in from, and they didn't ask.

So how is this a fuck up?

Panic much?

...but there are news articles today (AP) where this guy's sister claims he told the hospital his travel history.

Also, if they did not ask him then that is even more proof that they they are incompetent.

I also would like to hear a valid argument supporting unrestricted air travel from these regions. A valid argument may very well exist but I can not think of it and I have not heard or read one yet.

I guess a bunch of you have never heard of Hantavirus. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a potentially fatal syndrome is caused by species of hantavirus. Symptoms include flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, myalgia, headache, lethargy and shortness-of-breath, which rapidly deteriorates into acute respiratory failure. It is characterized by the sudden onset of shortness-of-breath with rapidly evolving pulmonary edema; it is often fatal. There is no cure or vaccine for HPS.

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In the United States, as of July 2010 eight states had reported 30 or more cases of Hantavirus since 1993 – New Mexico (84), Colorado (70), Arizona (62), California (42), Washington (41), Texas (37), Utah (31) and Montana (30). Other states reporting a significant number of cases include Idaho (16), Kansas (15), South Dakota (15), North Dakota (12) and Oregon (11). In late August and early September of 2012, eight new cases of Hantavirus were confirmed, including three deaths, in the Curry Village area of Yosemite National Park. On Long Island, David Hartstein, a chiropractor, died in June 2011, after contracting hantavirus. His story is featured in the HBO documentary Hard Times, Lost on Long Island.

...said the hospital sent him home with antibiotics. I am no medical doctor but this is the laziest form of medical care.

Oh you do not feel well? We have no real diagnosis and you are exhibiting some symptoms. Here take some antibiotics and have a good day.

If Ebola does not get us, an antibiotic resistant superbug will cause problems someday with medical "care" like that.

Ridiculous, and it does not fly with the CDC's claim that the US medical system top of the line. Tell that to anyone who may have been infected by this guy in the 48 hours while he was symptomatic, which means he was contagious.

Who was the doctor who let this guy go? Where did this guy go to medical school?

"Ridiculous, and it does not fly with the CDC's claim that the US medical system top of the line. Tell that to anyone who may have been infected by this guy in the 48 hours while he was symptomatic, which means he was contagious."

Were these people practicing third world sanitary procedures?

In comment 11893969 T in NJ said:

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In comment 11893959 rocco8112 said: Quote: Also, how the hell did this hospital let this guy go? Is this the most incompetent hospital in the US? How does someone with a travel history from ground zero of this epidemic allowed to go home when they have symptoms of ANY kind?!?! Also, the CDC goes on and on about the American healthcare system being so great. Well, they fucked up the case with this guy by letting him go when he came to the hospital on 9/24. Because the guy didn't tell the hospital where he flew in from, and they didn't ask. So how is this a fuck up? Panic much?

That's incorrect. It's been reported that the gentleman did indeed tell the first nurse he had just come from Liberia. The hospital confirmed this and claims that that information wasn't properly conveyed down the line.

The issue at hand is why was he allowed those two extra days after the second visit.

..but if you know someone has just traveled from Liberia and they have a fever and other symptoms why would they not be admitted to the hospital and put in an infectious disease area in a quarantine.

Why would this not be done? Why would they just send this guy out with antibiotics which might as well be tic tacs if you have a viral infection of any kind.

Is not so easy. But there is on the ground passenger screening at these airports in the African countries affected and all airports where disease is worrisome around the world.

In comment 11894018 rocco8112 said:

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..but if you know someone has just traveled from Liberia and they have a fever and other symptoms why would they not be admitted to the hospital and put in an infectious disease area in a quarantine. Why would this not be done? Why would they just send this guy out with antibiotics which might as well be tic tacs if you have a viral infection of any kind.

Because they fucked up.

...has anyone every been to an Emergency Room in NYC? It is like Grand Central Station, the whole neighborhood is there.

To me it seems like if there was any real pressure put on the emergency medical care system in a city like NY the system would snap like a twig and there would be a real problem on our hands.

Again I am no expert but the idea that it is of no real consequence or just some minor event that this germ has made its way to the US seems ridiculous to me.

No more flights from Brussels. Fuck Van Damme.

In comment 11894046 rocco8112 said:

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...has anyone every been to an Emergency Room in NYC? It is like Grand Central Station, the whole neighborhood is there. To me it seems like if there was any real pressure put on the emergency medical care system in a city like NY the system would snap like a twig and there would be a real problem on our hands. Again I am no expert but the idea that it is of no real consequence or just some minor event that this germ has made its way to the US seems ridiculous to me.

You ever think that it has already had made it here and our first world sanitary procedures have kept it at bay?

In comment 11894071 ctc in ftmyers said:

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In comment 11894046 rocco8112 said: Quote: ...has anyone every been to an Emergency Room in NYC? It is like Grand Central Station, the whole neighborhood is there. To me it seems like if there was any real pressure put on the emergency medical care system in a city like NY the system would snap like a twig and there would be a real problem on our hands. Again I am no expert but the idea that it is of no real consequence or just some minor event that this germ has made its way to the US seems ridiculous to me. You ever think that it has already had made it here and our first world sanitary procedures have kept it at bay?

First world sanitary procedures in a NYC hospital? Next thing youll try to sell me some bridge or ocean front property in Yuma...

.

To me this is very serious, and the fact that the system already messed up and let this guy loose does not fill me with confidence.

While I do not think it would get Africa bad here in the US, an Ebola outbreak in a major city in this country would be very serious and I do not think the current medical system could deal with the stress.

More drastic measures would have to be developed and I am STILL waiting to hear one good argument as to why any travel would be allowed from these areas into the US.

Would be to quarantine anyone traveling from these regions for 3 weeks in order to get into this country.

by an immigration official, that explains why

Rapture is coming anyway. Most of you are burning in eternal hellfire while Nick Gage and true believers ascend to Heaven.

worrying about the bird flu and mad cow disease and when I thought it was safe to go outside, this happens, well back to my room for 6 months

says her brother told the first ER that we had been in Liberia. So it does seem as if they fucked up.

My wife works in the ER of a major hospital in NJ. She believes that there is something very fishy going on with this Texas hospital situation and the drips and drabs of details we are receiving.

Weeks ago, a patient showed up to the ER of her hospital with flu like symptoms. As is the custom -- ALWAYS -- they took the patient's travel history. He responded that he had just flown in from Liberia days earlier. News of African Ebola outbreaks had been around for weeks. So, immediately, they contacted the CDC for further instructions because the potential for an Ebola case automatically comes within the scope of the CDC's authority. The CDC's directive? Treat the patient for flu and send him home. After explicit requests for authority to conduct a test for Ebola, the CDC rejected them, saying that the person was "low risk." No further explanation. Of course, the doctor and the rest of the staff documented the hell out of this case, and sent him on his way.

We have not heard much from the Texas hospital. I cannot fathom that they did not -- as is patently obvious to all of us armchair medical professions -- contact the CDC immediately upon seeing that an African visitor with flu-like symptoms just flew in from Liberia. Every ER professional is hyper aware of Ebola and the likelihood that a patient with it will show up on their doorstep. What the real story is here, I do not know, but something does not add up.

medical insurance or lack there of come into play on this? Just wondering.

In comment 11895503 Bubba said:

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medical insurance or lack there of come into play on this? Just wondering.

No.

EMTALA requires that any hospital that accepts federal money treat emergency patients regardless of their ability to pay.