Why U.S. Is Reluctant to Issue Travel Ban on Ebola-Stricken West Africa

[LanternWaste]

Some prominent Obama administration critics have made that argument this week, calling for a travel ban into the U.S. from the West African nations of Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea, where more than 3,400 have died of the virus and thousands more are infected. There's a growing social media chorus calling for a ban, too. (Related: As Ebola's Spread Continues, Key Questions and Answers)

And yet the Obama administration has steadfastly rejected the idea of a travel ban. Thomas Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has been asked repeatedly about a travel ban in near-daily briefings with the press over the past week. Each time, he has insisted it won't work.

Frieden, who is heading the government's Ebola response, has gone as far as to say that a travel ban could hurt Americans in the long run, by limiting the ability of relief workers and supplies to get into West Africa's Ebola zone.

"Until the disease is controlled in Africa, we can't get the disease to zero here," Frieden said at a Tuesday news conference. (Related: "Every Newly Emerging Disease Like Ebola Begins With a Mystery.&quot

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/10/141007-ebola-travel-ban-restrictions-health-world/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_content=link_fb20141008news-ebolatravel&utm_campaign=Content&sf5100204=1






An in-depth article from National Geographic referencing good analysis.

[snappyturtle]

1. I think travel is fine for emergency relief workers, civilian or military, however,

I think casual travel to and from infected countries should be halted until Ebola is under control. imho

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

3. Exactly

We should be pouring in MASSIVE amounts of money and manpower to stop this awful disease from ravaging the people in the three affected west African countries. Frankly, I'm afraid this could turn into a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions if we don't get it under control soon.

And then we will need to monitor all health and needed personnel going in and out of the infected areas and possibly quarantined when they get back to the U.S.

Meanwhile, there should be a travel ban for other travelers to and from the three countries so affected. It's not that difficult; stop issuing visas. I keep reading here that we can't stop their entry because they go through other countries. That's silly. People still need passports and visas to get into the U.S from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.


Another recommendation - provide some freaking geography lessons to all hospital personnel! In fact, all that scare mongering on tv should include maps of the continent of Africa, highlighting the countries affected by ebola outbreaks.

[Yo_Mama]

5. They would just come through the open southern border

Like fly into Mexico and come over the US border. So it's a really bad idea, because no one wants to do anything that will help this get established in, say, Mexico City. There's nothing 'casual' about a lot of this incoming traffic.

[PADemD]

2. Warning - Level 3, Avoid Nonessential Travel - issued October 7, 2014

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025635687

[pkdu]

4. A couple of very important facts folks need to bear in mind

1. There are no direct flights to US from countries with Ebola outbreaks (Nigeria is now clear), so
2. You'd have to shut down all flights out of those countries with Ebola to stop connecting flights getting to USA. And no , direct connections arent the only ones that count. a lay over in JoBerg or Brussels can still get you to USA.

So what are we asking to be banned exactly?

[Blue_Tires]

6. +1

I'm surprised how simplistic the whole "Ban all flights/visas to/from West Africa!!!11!!" outcry has been...You'd essentially have to ban all flights everywhere...

It's even dumber than the "keep all travelers in airport quarantine until they are properly screened" proposals from last week...Too many people have a fundamental lack of understanding on how the world actually works...