We Should Quarantine Everyone Coming From Ebola Countries

[GBCW 397]

By Steven Beutler

...

Medicine can be a very humbling profession, and after more than 30 years of practicing infectious-disease medicine, I have learned that the "unanticipated" happens all too often, especially where microbes are involved.

...

Until a vaccine or effective antibiotics become available, it may be very difficult to stop this outbreak in the U.S. now that it is here. There are ways to slow it down, however, which will provide more time to develop that medicine and to prepare hospitals to handle more cases. Quarantine is one tool that has been successfully employed in the past; currently, it is being underutilized. I would maintain that every individual traveling here from a country with an active outbreak—currently Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Nigeria—should be quarantined.

This obviously will result in considerable inconvenience and some expense, and in this respect I realize that it sounds draconian. But the fact is, it will prevent most importation of the disease. If the quarantine could be established prior to travel, then virtually no cases would be imported from West Africa. Ultimately, it will diminish the total number of people being quarantined and being tracked, since there will be fewer contacts and less transmission. And at the present time, with only 150 people trying to enter the country from West Africa, it is still a feasible strategy.

...

President Obama has stated that we have "little room for error" in dealing with Ebola. But the airport screenings that have gone into effect will miss a large percentage of infected individuals, perhaps the majority of them. Relying on these screenings to prevent importation of Ebola is a huge error. A much more rigorous program is required to prevent, or at least delay, a possible catastrophe. Ultimately, the development of an effective vaccine will make these measures unnecessary; the CDC and WHO's support in expediting the development of vaccines is enormously positive. In the meantime, we need to ask ourselves these questions: Even if there is only a 2 percent chance of an epidemic developing in the U.S., should we be relying on half-measures to prevent it? Should we accept the possibility that we are allowing new cases of Ebola to enter the country every day when we have the ability to prevent it?

Dr. Steven Beutler is an infectious-disease specialist with more than 30 years' experience. He has been chairman of infection control committees at several hospitals and is currently involved with Ebola preparedness at Redlands Community Hospital in California. He graduated from University of Chicago Medical School in 1977.

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/119874/ebola-flight-ban-makes-sense-says-infectious-disease-doctor

[lostinblue 1,989]

We have a few hundred folks a day entering this country. from ebola ravaged countries. You just stop handing out visas until the crisis is over. That includes any person with a visa from another country that has a record of traveling from these countries in the last say 100 days. . so simple step to protect this country. I understand that makes me the head racist tonight for saying this. 1 million already costing the hospital in texas for 1 person infected. ...If someone wants to go over there and has good cause then let them go but under go a quarantine upon returning. A real one not like the Dr that goes out for dinner because she does not feel ill.

dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2790507/nbc-chief-medical-correspondent-accused-violating-ebola-quarantine

Witnesses claimed the physician and broadcaster wore sunglasses with her hair in a ponytail as she pulled up outside the restaurant and a man dashed in to grab the order, according toTMZ.

The website confirmed today the man who ran inside was a member of the NBC crew who was also under quarantine.

Nancy Snyderman and NBC News had yet to respond on Monday to MailOnline's requests for comment.

Dr Snyderman is said to be a regular at the restaurant and has often used their catering service.

RELATED ARTICLES

The team had initially been encouraged to isolate themselves following Mukpo's diagnosis.

The group was reporting on the Ebola outbreak for NBC News in Liberia when Mukpo was diagnosed with the deadly virus just a day after he was hired to work on the team.

However, someone in the NBC crew violated the voluntary agreement forcing New Jersey officials to step in and issue a mandatory quarantine order on Friday night.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2790507/nbc-chief-medical-correspondent-accused-violating-ebola-quarantine-visit-favorite-soup-restaurant.html#ixzz3GM8z2ZEv
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

The biggest problem in this country .. health care professionals without any common sense.

[Darnell 8,478]

. But the airport screenings that have gone into effect will miss a large percentage of infected individuals, perhaps the majority of them

ok - I'll bite - how and why is that even possible? aren't they taking blood samples and doing real-time testing right then and there? if not, why not?

[Dan and Judy 614]

. But the airport screenings that have gone into effect will miss a large percentage of infected individuals, perhaps the majority of them

ok - I'll bite - how and why is that even possible? aren't they taking blood samples and doing real-time testing right then and there? if not, why not?

CDC nurses will be taking voluntary semen samples

[Dakine10 5,452]

. But the airport screenings that have gone into effect will miss a large percentage of infected individuals, perhaps the majority of them

ok - I'll bite - how and why is that even possible? aren't they taking blood samples and doing real-time testing right then and there? if not, why not?

There is no real time test for Ebola. They are working on one. Even so, they are not always reliable. The rapid test for H1N1 had a 40% sensitivity.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

By Steven Beutler

...

Medicine can be a very humbling profession, and after more than 30 years of practicing infectious-disease medicine, I have learned that the "unanticipated" happens all too often, especially where microbes are involved.

...

Until a vaccine or effective antibiotics become available, it may be very difficult to stop this outbreak in the U.S. now that it is here. There are ways to slow it down, however, which will provide more time to develop that medicine and to prepare hospitals to handle more cases. Quarantine is one tool that has been successfully employed in the past; currently, it is being underutilized. I would maintain that every individual traveling here from a country with an active outbreakcurrently Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Nigeriashould be quarantined.

This obviously will result in considerable inconvenience and some expense, and in this respect I realize that it sounds draconian. But the fact is, it will prevent most importation of the disease. If the quarantine could be established prior to travel, then virtually no cases would be imported from West Africa. Ultimately, it will diminish the total number of people being quarantined and being tracked, since there will be fewer contacts and less transmission. And at the present time, with only 150 people trying to enter the country from West Africa, it is still a feasible strategy.

...

President Obama has stated that we have "little room for error" in dealing with Ebola. But the airport screenings that have gone into effect will miss a large percentage of infected individuals, perhaps the majority of them. Relying on these screenings to prevent importation of Ebola is a huge error. A much more rigorous program is required to prevent, or at least delay, a possible catastrophe. Ultimately, the development of an effective vaccine will make these measures unnecessary; the CDC and WHO's support in expediting the development of vaccines is enormously positive. In the meantime, we need to ask ourselves these questions: Even if there is only a 2 percent chance of an epidemic developing in the U.S., should we be relying on half-measures to prevent it? Should we accept the possibility that we are allowing new cases of Ebola to enter the country every day when we have the ability to prevent it?

Dr. Steven Beutler is an infectious-disease specialist with more than 30 years' experience. He has been chairman of infection control committees at several hospitals and is currently involved with Ebola preparedness at Redlands Community Hospital in California. He graduated from University of Chicago Medical School in 1977.

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/119874/ebola-flight-ban-makes-sense-says-infectious-disease-doctor

The deniers will have to dance like a butterfly to side step this one

[lostinblue 1,989]

There is no real time test for Ebola. They are working on one. Even so, they are not always reliable. The rapid test for H1N1 had a 40% sensitivity.

A passenger vomits, later dies on board a flight from Nigeria to JFK. The CDC has ruled out Ebola.

A plane from Nigeria landed at JFK Airport in Jamaica, NY (NYC) on Thursday with a male passenger aboard who had died during the flight after vomiting. CDC officials conducted an exam on the corpse and later announced that the deceased did not have Ebola The man’s corpse was turned over to Port Authority cops to remove.

The deceased man was 63 years old and had boarded an Arik Air aircraft out of Lagos, Nigeria on Wednesday night according to a federal law enforcement source.

The flights crew immediately contacted the CDC, Customs and Boarder Patrol and Port Authority police, members of all three agencies boarded the plane at around 6 am local time while the 145 passengers remained on board the aircraft until a health screening was done on the deceased male passenger.

So the cdc did not do an ebola test ?.. Perhaps they just looked at the body and pronounced to everyone they are good to fly about the country. ( ebola test takes 24 -72 hours )...

[Dan and Judy 614]

A passenger vomits, later dies on board a flight from Nigeria to JFK. The CDC has ruled out Ebola.

A plane from Nigeria landed at JFK Airport in Jamaica, NY (NYC) on Thursday with a male passenger aboard who had died during the flight after vomiting. CDC officials conducted an exam on the corpse and later announced that the deceased did not have Ebola The man’s corpse was turned over to Port Authority cops to remove.

The deceased man was 63 years old and had boarded an Arik Air aircraft out of Lagos, Nigeria on Wednesday night according to a federal law enforcement source.

The flights crew immediately contacted the CDC, Customs and Boarder Patrol and Port Authority police, members of all three agencies boarded the plane at around 6 am local time while the 145 passengers remained on board the aircraft until a health screening was done on the deceased male passenger.

So the cdc did not do an ebola test ?.. Perhaps they just looked at the body and pronounced to everyone they are good to fly about the country. ( ebola test takes 24 -72 hours )...

body temperature was below 101.4, no danger

[lostinblue 1,989]

body temperature was below 101.4, no danger

Might have been at room temp you think. 65 or 70 degrees ? Perhaps they turned the air conditioning up after he died mid flight.

[lostinblue 1,989]

The GOB reassures the public that the passenger never set foot in Belize and while we remain in close contact with US officials we have maintained the position that when even the smallest doubt remains, we will ensure the health and safety of the Belizean people.”

[Dakine10 5,452]

A passenger vomits, later dies on board a flight from Nigeria to JFK. The CDC has ruled out Ebola.

A plane from Nigeria landed at JFK Airport in Jamaica, NY (NYC) on Thursday with a male passenger aboard who had died during the flight after vomiting. CDC officials conducted an exam on the corpse and later announced that the deceased did not have Ebola The man’s corpse was turned over to Port Authority cops to remove.

The deceased man was 63 years old and had boarded an Arik Air aircraft out of Lagos, Nigeria on Wednesday night according to a federal law enforcement source.

The flights crew immediately contacted the CDC, Customs and Boarder Patrol and Port Authority police, members of all three agencies boarded the plane at around 6 am local time while the 145 passengers remained on board the aircraft until a health screening was done on the deceased male passenger.

So the cdc did not do an ebola test ?.. Perhaps they just looked at the body and pronounced to everyone they are good to fly about the country. ( ebola test takes 24 -72 hours )...

There's no rapid ebola test. That means a test you can do quickly, on site and without instrumentation.

Right now they do PCR or ELISA. Both need to be done in a laboratory with level 4 biosafety containment. I am almost certain they are diagnosing Ebola based on clinical symptoms. There's no other major hemorrhagic fever outbreak at this time to rule out. They are then confirming the diagnosis in a laboratory after the fact.

[Curmudgeon 227]

By Steven Beutler

...

Medicine can be a very humbling profession, and after more than 30 years of practicing infectious-disease medicine, I have learned that the "unanticipated" happens all too often, especially where microbes are involved.

...

Until a vaccine or effective antibiotics become available, it may be very difficult to stop this outbreak in the U.S. now that it is here. There are ways to slow it down, however, which will provide more time to develop that medicine and to prepare hospitals to handle more cases. Quarantine is one tool that has been successfully employed in the past; currently, it is being underutilized. I would maintain that every individual traveling here from a country with an active outbreak—currently Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Nigeria—should be quarantined.

This obviously will result in considerable inconvenience and some expense, and in this respect I realize that it sounds draconian. But the fact is, it will prevent most importation of the disease. If the quarantine could be established prior to travel, then virtually no cases would be imported from West Africa. Ultimately, it will diminish the total number of people being quarantined and being tracked, since there will be fewer contacts and less transmission. And at the present time, with only 150 people trying to enter the country from West Africa, it is still a feasible strategy.

...

President Obama has stated that we have "little room for error" in dealing with Ebola. But the airport screenings that have gone into effect will miss a large percentage of infected individuals, perhaps the majority of them. Relying on these screenings to prevent importation of Ebola is a huge error. A much more rigorous program is required to prevent, or at least delay, a possible catastrophe. Ultimately, the development of an effective vaccine will make these measures unnecessary; the CDC and WHO's support in expediting the development of vaccines is enormously positive. In the meantime, we need to ask ourselves these questions: Even if there is only a 2 percent chance of an epidemic developing in the U.S., should we be relying on half-measures to prevent it? Should we accept the possibility that we are allowing new cases of Ebola to enter the country every day when we have the ability to prevent it?

Dr. Steven Beutler is an infectious-disease specialist with more than 30 years' experience. He has been chairman of infection control committees at several hospitals and is currently involved with Ebola preparedness at Redlands Community Hospital in California. He graduated from University of Chicago Medical School in 1977.

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/119874/ebola-flight-ban-makes-sense-says-infectious-disease-doctor

Prevent or delay? Well, at least we know that when the US is under threat, the boffins get serious about producing a vaccine. There's $$$'s in Ebola after all!

[Darnell 8,478]

well crappy-doodles - ok - so no real-time test for the E-Bol-i.

Thanks fellas, for responding.

[Dakine10 5,452]

Since it's already in Texas, why not just set up that state as a quarantine area? Any flights from "Ebola countries" could just fly into Texas and wait it out there. Then just screen people who want to fly out of Texas to other states.

[TBoneTX 43,020]

There might be legal or Constitutional implications in regard to automatic quarantining of U.S. citizens who step off a plane or ship. It would be interesting to read relevant legal opinions, if any have been written yet.