[Volunteer]

You may be correct.

But, even I would know not to get on an airplane if I was diagnosed with TB and I am not exactly House, M.D.

I also think that the Father-in-law who "just happens" to work for CDC on TB is too odd. Something isn't right here.

[JustaCowgirl]

Something isn't right here

If this is a random coincidence, it has to be one of those on the order of about a billion to 1.

[July 4th]

But, even I would know not to get on an airplane if I was diagnosed with TB and I am not exactly House, M.D.

Well, if a doctor told me that I had any strain of TB, I wouldn't be going anywhere. That would be enough to get me to chill out at home for a while.

As to the panic, it's pretty much just that. It's actually pretty hard to transmit TB - basically, that's why it's not more prevalent than it currently is. Even for the people sitting next to him it's pretty difficult unless they were directly coughed on, and somehow got that mist into their system. For the passenger who had the same seat as the TB guy on the next flight, even that person would be at almost no risk. (Unlike other diseases that are more likely spread by surface contact, including lice.)

[penowa]

"Something isn't right here."

I agree. Just have a hunch that there may be more to this than the facts released to the press so far.