Ebola Comes to America
Last month, America had its first ever Ebola diagnosis when “A man who took a commercial flight from Liberia that landed in Dallas on Sept. 20 has been found to have the Ebola virus.” (New York Times) The report shares that “as the disease has swept across West Africa, many health experts said it would be only a matter of time before it reached the United States. Hospitals and health departments around the country have been preparing for it, and a number of false alarms have occurred. But this time, the case is real.” The man was reported to have had no symptoms when he boarded the plane, however, many news agencies are reporting that he lied before boarding.
As the news of this diagnosis spread, the Obama administration released a statement from the White House which was meant to lessen the public panic. “You cannot get Ebola through the air, water or food in the U.S. Ebola can only spread from contact with the blood or body fluids of a person or animal who is sick with or has died from the disease,” the White House stated on its Twitter account. In another Tweet, Americans were told, “America has the best doctors and public health infrastructure in the world, and we are prepared to respond to Ebola.”
Ebola Threat Spread to D.C.
An article from the Washington Post tells of two hospitals in the Washington D.C. area which have reported two separate cases of patients being admitted with “symptoms and travel histories associated with Ebola.” According to the post, “A person who had recently traveled to Nigeria came to Howard University Hospital in the District overnight ‘presenting symptoms that could be associated with Ebola. In an abundance of caution, we have activated the appropriate infection control protocols, including isolating the patient. Our medical team continues to evaluate and monitor progress in close collaboration with the CDC and the Department of Health,’ spokeswoman Kerry-Ann Hamilton said in a statement.
Just hours later, Shady Grove Adventist Hospital in Rockville, Md., north of Washington, confirmed that it was evaluating a patient who ‘presented with flu-like symptoms and a travel history that matches criteria for possible Ebola.’ But on Friday night, Shady Grove Adventist officials said they had ruled out Ebola. ‘Our medical team has determined that the patient has malaria and does not have Ebola,’ the hospital said in a statement.”
Obama Refuses to Close Borders to Infected Countries
After the news of the first-ever case of Ebola diagnosed in America was released, many Americans expected the Obama Administration to act as many others countries have. One of the very first preventative measures which was expected would be for America to shut down any air traffic from those countries which are already highly infected. Offgrid Survival, however, reports, “As countries around the world start to close their borders, and shut down traffic from infected nations, the Obama administration is allowing thousands of people a day into the U.S. from Ebola infected countries in Africa. We really have reached the tipping point. When our government is more concerned with political correctness, or offending other nations, than they are for the health and safety of their own people it’s kind of hard not to be concerned.”
The report goes on to say, “As countries around the world place travel restrictions on Ebola affected countries, the Obama administration is refusing to suspend air traffic from even the worst hit African countries. British Airways, Korean air and a number of other international airliners have all suspended flights to Sierra Leone and Liberia. Even countries in Africa have closed their borders to protect their citizens, yet our government knowingly allows flights into the U.S. – even after the first case came directly as a result of one of these flights. Nigeria, one of the countries affected by the Ebola outbreak, is actually making some headway against the disease after closing borders and implementing strict quarantine procedures. The country hasn’t seen a new infection in weeks.”
What Do You Think?
What are your thoughts on the Ebola virus in the United States? Do you feel that the media is causing more panic than necessary, or that the White House is ignoring a very real threat? Should we close our borders to countries infected with this virus?
