Obama: We'll Keep Ebola Out by Letting West Africans In

CNS News ^ | October 17, 2014 | Susan Jones

[McGruff]

"I don't have a philosophical objection necessarily to a travel ban, if that is the thing that is going to keep the American people safe," President Obama said on Thursday.

Obama said the experts have advised him that it's more effective to let West Africans into the U.S. than it would be to keep them out.

"The problem is that in all the discussions I've had thus far with experts in the field, experts in infectious disease, is that a travel ban is less effective than the measures that we are currently instituting, that involve screening passengers who are coming from West Africa."

Obama said it's important to continue screening West Africans before they get on planes and then after they arrive in the U.S. to see if they're showing signs of disease. Sick people should get medical evaluations, he said. And people who are not sick should list their contact information.

"If we institute a travel ban instead of the protocols that we put in place now, history shows that there is a likelihood of increased avoidance. People do not readily disclose their information. They may engage in something called broken travel, essentially breaking up their trip, so they can hide the fact that they have been to one of these countries where the disease is in place. And as a result, we may end up getting less information about who has the disease. They're less likely to get treated properly, screened properly, quarantined properly. And as a consequence we could end up having more cases rather than less."

Obama said if his medical experts come back to him and recommend additional precautions, "I assure you, we will do it, but it is important in these circumstances for us to look at the history of how these infectious diseases are best dealt with. And it is currently the judgment of all those, involved that a flat-out travel ban is not the best way to go. But we will continue to monitor this. I'm asking these questions.

"If in fact it turns out I'm getting different answers, then I will share them with the American people. We will not hesitate to do what's necessary in order to maximize the chances that we avoid an outbreak here in the United States..."

Obama said he understands that "people are worried" about Ebola. "But what I want to emphasize once again is that right now, we got one individual who came in with the disease. We have two nurses who have been diagnosed with the disease as a consequence of in some fashion being exposed during treatment. And what remains true is that this is not an airborne disease. It has not easy to catch. You can only catch it through being in contact with the bodily fluids of an individual who not only has the disease, but also is showing symptoms of the disease.

"And so it's important, I think, for all of us to keep perspective in terms of how we handle this. We are taking this very seriously at the highest levels, starting with me."

Obama said it's especially important for health care workers to "have more confidence" as flu season arrives, and people with fever come into hospitals across the country. "There may be false alarms and concerns," Obama said.

"And so we're going to spend a lot of time working with our public health workers to make sure that they feel safe and adequately protected. But I want to assure the American people, we're taking this seriously. But this is something that is really hard to catch. And if we do what we need to do, and we stay focused, then this is going to be something that is contained here."

Dozens of U.S. lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats, have urged President Obama to block travelers from West Africa from entering the United States.

Rep. Dennis Ross (R-Fla.) said Thursday that he is "putting my foot down" and will introduce a bill restricting all commercial flights from traveling to and from Ebola-affected countries until the virus is contained and no longer a threat.

"This legislation is a more serious approach to preventing Ebola from further infiltrating our homeland," Ross said in a statement on his website.

"Airport security screening is a complete smoke and mirror approach to the virus and Americans aren’t buying it. I urge my colleagues to sign onto this legislation and hope Speaker Boehner will quickly call Congress back into session to debate my legislation.”

[exit82]

http://www.senate.gov

http://www.house.gov

OK, Freepers, it is time for action.

More is needed NOW than just posting here.

Call your reps in DC and tell them the flights from West Africa through any hub and admittance of anyone from these countries into the USA HAS TO STOP!

The place to fight this disease is at its source, not here.

The “screening” process at our airports is a joke and ineffective. 150 people a day are coming here from West Africa—that is 4500 a month. Some may show a fever and yet may be carrying the virus. The second nurse is proof of that.

Our healthcare system will shutdown if this continues.

We already have cases in Kansas, Nebraska, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Texas.

The first order of business of a government is to protect their citizens. And this government is failing to do so.

The President just appointed a political hack lawyer to head up a medical crisis.

The only thing the politicians fear in DC is you being angry, with a mid-term election 16 days away.

Make the calls.

The family you save may be your own.

[DPMD]

“I don’t have a philosophical objection necessarily to a travel ban...”

I do, however, have an affinity for dithering while letting a problem become much worse in hopes that it may break America’s back.

[Liz]

Boobamba's appointee----a top health expert--advises:
"You Can Give Ebola on a Bus, But You Can't Get It on a Bus"

The Strange Logic of CDC's Dr. Thomas Frieden

Nothing this idiot says makes sense. He told Megyn Kelly US health personnel just need to wear gloves and face mask to prevent the contagion. But here he is in Liberia---covered to the hilt.

CDC's Frieden in haz-mat in Ebola-struck Liberia.

===============================================

CDC head Dr Tom Frieden Denies Enterovirus Link to Illegal-Alien kids wandering across the border into the US and into our schools---“There is no evidence that unaccompanied children brought EV-D68 into the United States; we are not aware of any of these children testing positive for the virus,” the CDC emailed WND......

Frieden's suck-up is so complete---Mexico is sending him a case of Tabasco-flavored Chap-Stix.

=================================================

[Safetgiver]

http://stg.do/mfuh

[refermech]

More evil than hillary, and that’s saying something.

[wintertime]

This photo is raciiiiiist./s

Did you notice the white guy get the full covering. The black guy just a mask, goggles, and paper gown. I guess down on the Democrat Animal Farm, Democrats get to live in the farmer's house, the rest get to die of “Obola. OINK!

[Liz]

Obama said he's been advised that it's more effective to let West Africans into the US than to keep them out.......then added: "We have to HAVE a pandemic to cure the pandemic."

I hear sap-happy Dummycrats are using that as a relection campaign slogan in the heartland--"We have to HAVE a pandemic to cure the pandemic."

[Resolute Conservative]

Freidman basically said that two days ago. By letting them fly in we can at least track them with their email addresses, phone numbers, list of friends etc... He is just too stupid to be alive.

[TheConservativeParty]

I saw him say that on TV last night.
Eff him. Rot in hell, O’Bola.
Liar in Chief.

[TheConservativeParty]

Thank you, and keep up the good work!

[tomkat]

             

[chris37]

In order to not get burned, we must put our hand in the fire.

It makes perfect sense!

[zzwhale]

OBAMA = TRAITOR

[Liz]

John Kerry looks a little perplexed.

"I just want those dam Republicans to butt out. We know what we're doing."

"Dr Frieden said there's nothing to worry about. He knows that my trusted
national security aide, Susan Rice, is experiencing rectal bleeding, and is
soaked in blood. "Valerie helpfully went to get Susan a change clothes."

[kenmcg]

Obams is more dangerous to Americans than Al-Qaeda, Isis or the Obola virus. The POTUS main job is to uphold the Constitution and protect Americans which he has failed to do. Time for the pubbies to show some cajones and impeach the Kenyan!

[Darksheare]

“My science czar John Holdren tells me that depopulation is imperative, and that ebola is a cornerstone of this bold initiative!”

[The_Media_never_lie]

"I don't have a philosophical objection necessarily to a travel ban, if that is the thing that is going to keep the American people safe," President Obama said on Thursday.

If t his is true, then why doesn't he close the borders? Does he not see the havoc and chaos he is creating? Doesn't he care?

[opentalk]

OBAMA:

...But let’s keep in mind that, as we speak, there are children on the streets dying of this disease — thousands of them. And so obviously my first job is to make sure that we’re taking care of the American people, but we have a larger role than that. We also have an obligation to make sure that those children and their families are safe as well, because ultimately the best thing we can do for our public health is also to extend the kind of empathy, compassion and effort so that folks in those countries as well can be rid of this disease.

[Skybird]

Seems like they were very quick to mobilize to keep tourists and veterans out of the national monuments (even putting up fences) when the budget sequester took effect but not for this deadly disease.

What a great campaign commercial it would be...if the Repubs were not a bunch of lame tired a$$3s.

[Ancesthntr]

Let’s see: a house down the block from you is on fire. You want to help put it out, being a good neighbor and all. So, you figure that the best way to put out the neighbor’s house fire is to gather up burning embers and toss them into your garage, where you have several open cans of gasoline stored.

Yup, makes sense to me.