Friday, October 3, 2014

CDC chief: Isolating Ebola Stricken Countries 'Wouldn’t Work'

"Appearing on MSNBC, Frieden was asked about potentially prohibiting air travel between the U.S. and West Africa, where the Ebola outbreak is most widespread. He said that such a restriction would likely be ineffective and would make it harder for health officials to root out the virus".
“The only way we’re going to get to zero risk is by stopping the outbreak at the source” in West Africa, Frieden said.

“Even if we tried to close the border, it wouldn’t work,” the top health official added. “People have a right to return. People transiting through could come in. And it would backfire, because by isolating these countries, it’ll make it harder to help them, it will spread more there and we’d be more likely to be exposed here.”
Excerpt from a link to an article of an Ebola virologist interview posted by Pogo this morning (Pogo is a doctor btw)
Q: There has been speculation that the virus could mutate or has already mutated to spread more easily. How likely is that?

A: I don’t think there is any data right now to support that. If you look at the virus sequence, it falls within the normal range of Zaire Ebola strains. Of course any of these mutations could have a dramatic effect, which we don't know right now. But there is nothing obvious that would point to a more transmissible, more virulent virus, or a change of transmission route. (bold mine)
Could "nothing obvious" mean something that isn't obvious is being missed?
You can speculate in every direction, of course, but I think it should be fact-based, it should be data-based, and I think it makes absolutely no sense to bring in aerosol transmissibility as a potential. I think this is really not helpful, unless you have data to support that.
I take that to mean nobody knows with a 100% certainty how this strain of Ebola is spreading. I could be wrong, but that's what I come away with from what I've read and heard so far.

66 comments:

Unknown said...

CDC chief should be fired.

ricpic said...

Don't isolate Africa!!!

Unknown said...

“People have a right to return. People transiting through could come in. And it would backfire, because by isolating these countries, it’ll make it harder to help them, it will spread more there and we’d be more likely to be exposed here.”

What a pantload of typical democrat excuse making.

Unknown said...

Remember, the people who run your government are experts and you should never question their integrity or their experience.
Have confidence in them.

Almost as important as watching "MSNBC" or "The View" and knowing you are receiving high quality information from highly intelligent persons.

KCFleming said...

Bullshit squared.

“Even if we tried to close the border, it wouldn't work,” the top health official added.

Other countries have denied flights and people from those countries.
So should we.

Shit, Obama stopped flights to Israel for a few days.

We need some adults in charge, not these PC-infected pussies.

If they thought Ebola was anti-gay marriage, they'd have no problem keeping it out.

Unknown said...

Translation: We have to let ebola in to showcase our fairness.
Otherwise - xenophobia, you xenophobes.

I call BS on this:

And it would backfire, because by isolating these countries, it’ll make it harder to help them

What? HOW?

So, we must be careless, let the disease in, so that we too are struggling to eradicate it, and that carelessness will act as a vehicle to aid West African nations? (oh yeah- that makes perfect sense)

Strawman. Keeping the disease out of this nation has nothing to do with aiding west Africa. It's all too late anyway, so this CDC jerk wins.

KCFleming said...

"...because by isolating these countries, it’ll make it harder to help them "

The World War 2 and post-war airdrops are calling.

They want to punch Frieden in the nuts.

The Dude said...

He has none.

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

The problem is the CDC's best research scientist is paralyzed from an epileptic seizure.

Unknown said...

we must let ebola in, so we can find out what is in it.

The Dude said...

Nice Crichton reference.

When do we get to nuke the projects?

The Dude said...

And by "wouldn't work" that flaming douche means "create the desired pandemic in the U.S." - which is the real goal.

Good news is, some of us have supplies and ammo laid in and the plague will kill mostly minorities and medical types.

We'll miss ol' Pogo, but he was near retirement age anyway.

KCFleming said...

Hey, I've got my own weapons, even if I do live in the nanniest nanny state in the midwest.

But our worksite is "gun-free," i.e., an easy target.

KCFleming said...

This is starting to look like a rom-com version of Cormac McCarthy's The Road.

KCFleming said...

"CDC chief: Isolating Ebola Stricken Countries 'Wouldn’t Work'"

I wonder why hospitals have "isolation precautions" if they don't work?

Can surgeons stop wearing rubber gloves in surgery now?

Yee hah! it's the Wild Medical West!

Christy said...

The mortality rate from ebola has dropped from 90% in the 20th Century to 60% now. Reporters tell us this is because of better and earlier treatment. I don't but it. I think the virus mutated.

We lost interest in Ebola because it killed quickly and burned itself out before it could spread widely. If is not killing as fast, it is more likely to spread, giving even more opportunity to mutate and change its vectors.

And why the hell have they not quarantined that family in a clean environment!!?!? Is the CDC experimenting to see if Ebola spreads by contaminated sheets and upholstery?

Unknown said...

CDC chief: Isolating Ebola Stricken Countries 'Wouldn’t Work'"

riiiiiiight.


The perfect thing to say.

Pee Wee Herman's "I meant to do that." also works.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

"we must let ebola in, so we can find out what is in it."

Laugh or cry?

The Dude said...

Hey, you know what I just noticed? None of the Obama-suckers are piping up with what a wonderful president their boy is - where have they all gone?

Unknown said...

Exactly, Lem.
Except- subtract the gurney, the I-V and the protective sheet.
It's just a dude meandering home, barfing in the bushes, who, hours earlier, was riding around in a car in West Africa with now dead ebola victims.

No big deal. We heard the news on MSNBC.

Unknown said...

Let them all in. Your diseased masses, your gang bangers, your drug dealers, and those who want to blow it all up. Because: votes for democrats and cheap labor for Facebook billionaires.

btw- (ot) (just looking for any place to inject the medicine of truth) a majority of Americans
do not want
public tax payer funded services provided to illegals.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Thrill up my leg Mathews has all but thrown in the towel.

"Chris Matthews: Obama "Intellectually Lazy," "Atrophied" By People Like Valerie Jarrett, Michelle Obama"

Salon: Chris Matthews vs. Obama: How the president lost one of his top supporters

deborah said...

This is so absurd that I think public fear and outrage will cross the aisle.

deborah said...

"We lost interest in Ebola because it killed quickly and burned itself out before it could spread widely. If is not killing as fast, it is more likely to spread, giving even more opportunity to mutate and change its vectors."

Great insight Christy. Last I'd heard of Ebola was we didn't have to worry about it because outbreaks were self-containing as you said.

We have enough to worry about without wondering about airborne mutation. I'm reminded of the black plague in the Middle Ages.

ricpic said...

America to blame! America to blame!! Slavery! America sin!! Liberia!! Founded by America! Must share!! Must share!!! Ebola? We responsible! WE RESPONSIBLE!!!

The Dude said...

Drudge has a sensational report about Ebola in DC.

Time to change the team name to "Leaky Skins".

edutcher said...

Well, of course.

If we start keeping people out because they're carrying disease, some racist is going to demand we do the same for Hispanics.

deborah said...
This is so absurd that I think public fear and outrage will cross the aisle.


Between this and IS, I think it's well on its way.

edutcher said...

deborah said...

We have enough to worry about without wondering about airborne mutation. I'm reminded of the black plague in the Middle Ages.

There's also Spanish flu and the cholera pandemic of the 1850s.

William said...

I don't think the NBC reporters in Liberia should be acting in "an abundance of caution." Instead, they should be acting according to CDC guidelines. No fever. No contagious risk. Dr. Sneiderman should fly home and plant a big, wet kiss on Matt Lauer. Walk the walk, NBC. Show the USA how exaggerated and unreasonable their fears are. Perhaps the good Doctor could have dinner with the President and his family.

The Dude said...

Don't forget the paralytic plague of 2014 - that one looks like a walk in the park now that we all live in Zombieland.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

“People who contract Ebola in West Africa can get through airport screenings and onto a plane with a lie and a lot of ibuprofen, according to healthcare experts who believe more must be done to identify infected travelers.”

link

Rabel said...

If a second fly-in case is confirmed, we'll probably see a turnaround from the administration on flight restrictions.

This will of course be accompanied by the usual set of lies and denials about their previous decision.

Rabel said...

I watched Jon Stewart's opening comedy bit last night. It was entirely about the republican reaction to the Ebola case in Texas.

Stewart seemed a little uncomfortable with the obviousness of the political motivation for that approach - he lacked his usual zest. I'm not so sure the audience was buying it either.

Lydia said...

Latest Dem talking points: Hey, you could get hit by a bus on your way home today, so don't fret about terrorism. Or Ebola. Which, by the way, is way hard to catch anyway.

Funny thing, though: Back in July, lefty wildman Rep. Alan Grayson of Florida wanted the State Department to ban folks from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone from entering the U.S.

The Dude said...

Hindering any sort of the open border policy might make someone think that there is a benefit to having an actual immigration policy.

Can't allow that to happen, so die, Americans, because Agenda!

The Dude said...

Yeah, it might not work, but we'll never know if we don't try, right?

How many Ebola cases are there in England and France, both of which have banned flights from afflicted countries?

Unknown said...

ah. "The we mock conservatives DAILY Show" mocks ebola.

Like mocking cancer or a heart attack.

William said...

This man apparently knew he had been exposed to Ebola and decided that he would have a better chance of survival in the USA than in Liberia. Not such a bad decision, although he iis definitely a scumbag for exposing so many others to the disease.. What are the chances that there are other Liberians who won't work out the math and come to a similar conclusion. Liberia has routinely produced such great leaders as Charles Taylor and John Doe, so the chance of there being another scumbag in the country are astronomical.

Lydia said...

Re what William said --this is not reassuring:

In the past five years, the number of Liberians issued U.S. visitors’ visas has risen sharply. Last year about 3,500 were granted to Liberians, and a total of about 13,500 were granted to people from the three ebola-stricken countries — Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

chickelit said...

deborah said...
This is so absurd that I think public fear and outrage will cross the aisle.

Fat chance. liberal ex-medical professionals like Inga, aka "Madisonfella," in her latest insilication at Althouse, are fighting against that conversion.

chickelit said...

There is something wrong with half the country who for unexplained, unexcused reasons are on board with a no borders nation.

Lydia said...

I think deborah may be right about "public fear and outrage" crossing the aisle on this:

CNN has learned from sources at the NRSC, the national campaign organization for Senate Republicans, that the group's internal polling finds 60 percent of voters believe that if a single case of Ebola arises in the U.S., it should be treated as a major crisis by the federal government.

And the Republicans are running with it.

The Dude said...

CL - you found Inga? I guess there are some life forms even Ebola can't touch.

chickelit said...

Here is the mindset of the Ingas and Friedens of the world: link. Switch out the words AIDS with Ebola and you have it.

chickelit said...

Sixty Grit said...
CL - you found Inga? I guess there are some life forms even Ebola can't touch.

Yes. I have special glasses which allow me to see through characters online.

ndspinelli said...

Inga is Annie on the Turley blog. She is imploding as she did here, TOP, and Troopers. So, she will make the rounds again in another incarnation. The pathology of her becoming a pariah is always the same. Evil angry, lonely, stupid, woman.

Unknown said...

This sums up reality perfectly:

“Not only do I disagree with the constant stream of soothing and complacent rhetoric from Dr. Zeke’s friends in government and media. I also believe it is entirely rational to fear the possibility of a major Ebola outbreak, of a threat to the president and his family, of jihadists crossing the border, of a large-scale European or Asian war, of nuclear proliferation, of terrorists detonating a weapon of mass destruction. These dangers are real, and pressing, and though the probability of their occurrence is not high, it is amplified by the staggering incompetence and failure and misplaced priorities of the U.S. government. It is not Ebola I am afraid of. It is our government’s ability to deal with Ebola.”

-Matthew Continetti

Dust Bunny Queen said...

"Good news is, some of us have supplies and ammo laid in and the plague will kill mostly minorities and medical types."

We just returned from the "big city" to have some minor hand surgery on The Dumbplumber (my ever lovin' sweetie) While he was being tortured by the doctor I went to Costco and some other places to buy supplies. These are our ordinary purchases (tuna, canned chili, crackers, peanut butter, nuts, dried fruit several kinds, olive oil, canned parmesan cheese, canned tomatoes, pasta, nut, sugar, flour, beef soup base,cases of diet iced tea drinks, beer, scotch and bourbon.) among some other stuff. Oooh ooooh sardines in tins they were on sale!!. Ordinary stuff and extras just in case we need to be isolated for 60 days or longer. Unfortunately.....22 ammo is about as scarce as hens teeth and we can't pre-order. However, I do have several cases of 12 gauge shells and other bricks of 22's.

I pray/hope that there is no need to rely on these things, but ...Hey....why not be prepared. There is nothing better than when winter comes and it is snowing outside to be able to trundle to the pump house for a can of whatever.

We are also prepared to protect ourselves from intruders. I hope not. My biggest conundrum is, if I use my 12 gauge shotgun or long rifles to stop the intruder.....will I contaminate my road with his/her blood? Ewwww. How long does it take for Ebola virus to degrade or die in freezing weather?

deborah said...

"It is not Ebola I am afraid of. It is our government’s ability to deal with Ebola.”

Great line by Continetti. I've liked him since I came across him several years ago on Bloggingheads. But I agree with Rabel above when he said when the second case hits, things will get real. Has that guy in DC tested positive yet?

deborah said...

Chick, has she copped to it?

chickelit said...

How long does it take for Ebola virus to degrade or die in freezing weather?

It'll stay frozen and inactive until the thaw. Then sun will stir it back to life.

chickelit said...

deborah said...
Chick, has she copped to it?

Not lately, but weeks ago, yes.

deborah said...

DBQ, funny how it puts one in mind of a zombie apocalypse. I recommend keeping a lot of bleach on hand and a gallon pump sprayer. After donning complete hazmat regalia, begin a goodly distance from the outer edges of spatter, and thoroughly sweep the area with bleach Then burn the body. You're welcome.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

@ Deborah

:-)

Great advice! LOL.

Well, except for the haz-mat regalia, which I don't have...Do Hefty garbage bags and duct tape qualify? Lots of bleach in Ag sprayers and some brush clipping pyres to torch with propane lighters???

I knew all those video zombie games would come in handy some day.

deborah said...

Something closer to this :)

http://tinyurl.com/pz8lrad

JD said...

Hate to break it to you people but Madisonfella isn't Inga. Nick is right, Inga is Annie over at Turley. She isn't imploding over there, she actually rocks the house and is very well liked. Nick you really shouldn't make up stories. All it takes is a visit to Turley to see that Nick is the pariah, not our Annie aka Inga. Nick is thoroughly disliked, strike that, make that hated over there by 95% of the commenters and 100% of the GBers. Chickie Wickie, are you too chicken to come over to Turley? Why do you still hang out at Althouse's place? Waiting for her to throw you a bone? She told me confidentially that you're smary and nosey.

The Dude said...

Hey Unknown, what does "smary" mean? Are you just making up words now?

Or has your brain rot progressed to the point that you think that is a word? Or is it code for "S. Mary"?

Just askin'...

ndspinelli said...

Sixty, Inga the lying LPN[She said over there she has a Masters from Marquette!!] is in the needy stage of her pathology. A few from here are commenting and she is incredibly insecure. Even those who embraced her, based just on the fact that she hated me, have seen she's a lonely, hateful, crazy, lying, bitch. She's about to go 0 for 4. When MamaM comments she has a sudden bowel movement.

Rabel said...

23.5 hours after the fact, I got Eric's epilepsy joke.

Trooper York said...

Personally I don't see why anyone would want to post at a site where you have to deal with people like Inga or Crack all day.

But it takes all types to make a world so have at it.

Trooper York said...

Also trying to sort through sock puppets is not worth the effort. I would say that the best thing to do is just react to the poster based on their posts under that name. Most people reveal themselves rather quickly. Easy enough to ignore.

Of course it took me a very long, long time to learn that. I am pretty dense.

ndspinelli said...

One of the reasons I post @ Turley's is it is interesting. This and other sites have become pretty negative and boring of late. I just ignore Inga and inflame her by ignoring her.

MamaM said...

One of the reasons I post @ Turley's is it is interesting.

There's also a Civility Rule in place at Turley's so addressing others as "Bitch" doesn't fly there.

Every blog has its charms and lack of them. Some are more fuxed up than others. An either/or worldview is more limiting than a both/and outlook where limitations and flaws can be seen and acknowledged, with choices made and civilly delivered opinions respected.

Here's the rule as a reference, in the event Lem's needs to go further. Right now, having a personal deletion policy by poster seems to be working quite well.

MamaM said...

Or is it code for "S. Mary"?

Lol! Sharp eye, Sixty. The name "Annie" wouldn't be my choice if I was looking for a new name for myself after burning through 30 plus other online handles. Was the object this time around to ding the hostess of Althouse, who doesn't care for that derivative, or create an adorbs connect to the hope of tomorrow-tomorrow-I love you tomorrow only being a day away? Whatever the case, I'd have leaned toward "AnnA" or "AnA" or "AnanA", but then, I like palindromes.

Trooper York said...

I would imagine the use of that sock-puppet name is what cult members do to recognize their leader. You know all all the Muslims who choose the last name "X"

I just think there are some places and people best left alone...you could catch ebola. Just sayn'

Trooper York said...

I also don't seem Lem's joint as very negative. There are a lot of jolly happy shiny people here.

It is just that the news has been so terrible lately. We have to wait for more cooking posts to yuck it up with Chip. Just sayn'