Would a Travel Ban Help Stop the Spread of Ebola?
Would a Travel Ban Help Stop the Spread of Ebola? After a passenger on a flight to New Jersey began vomiting, health officials rushed to meet the plane amid fears the man had Ebola.
If you’ve ever been on an airplane, this might look familiar – an air sickness bag meant for motion sickness. But the Ebola outbreak has changed how some people might react to a passenger who vomits on a plane. After a passenger on a flight to New Jersey began vomiting, health officials rushed to meet the plane amid fears the man had Ebola. Port authorities said it was a routine response to a sick passenger, but an airport official told CNN that authorities were taking precautions because of heightened concerns about Ebola.
While the authorities took the man and his daughter who he was traveling with to a local hospital, other passengers were forced to wait on the plane, with little information about what was going on. The man and the daughter both tested negative for Ebola, but one passenger told the network he believed the man was traveling from Liberia.
Experts say that fear comes from a nation truly concerned and that this fear is the new norm. But should it be? Yes, Ebola is scary, and yes, it’s been brought over from West Africa, but the chances of someone catching it on an airplane are extremely slim. That fact has been reiterated countless times over the past months. In August, the World Health Organization (WHO) explained – “On the small chance that someone on the plane is sick with Ebola, the likelihood of other passengers and crew having contact with their bodily fluids is even smaller.”
But still, some question why there has been no travel ban between the US and Africa and news networks are exploring that question. The Business Week notes that both Texas and Florida representatives have called on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to implement travel restrictions. Business Week says the White House’s refusal to do so isn’t the right thing to do.
CDC director, Tom Frieden said,”Though we might wish, we could seal off ourselves from the world, there are Americans who have the right to return, and other people who have the right to enter this country, and that will not help us get to zero risk, no matter what we do, unless and until we control the outbreak in West Africa.”
The White House said,”We provided guidance to pilots, flight attendants, and others who are responsible for staffing our transportation infrastructure to ensure that if they notice individuals who are exhibiting symptoms … that the proper authorities are notified.”
As of now, US officials say there are no plans to implement travel restrictions.
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