Ebola in the Big Apple and Common Sense in Short Supply
American Thinker ^ | 10/24/2014 | Brian C Joondeph, MD
Posted on 10/24/2014 10:56:03 AM by SeekAndFind
So much for Ebola being under control, limited to Western Africa, and not a threat to the American homeland. There is now a new confirmed case in New York City, with three others in quarantine. Doctor Craig Spencer, recently confirmed with Ebola, works for Doctors Without Borders, and was providing medical and humanitarian relief to Ebola victims in Western Africa.
He returned to the US from Guinea almost a week before exhibiting first symptoms of infection. Arriving at JFK airport on October 17, he cleared the CDC’s protocol for “enhanced screening of all returning travelers from W. Africa.” No quarantine, either voluntary or mandatory. He is just one of many going through similar “enhanced screenings” at US airports on a daily basis.
Testifying before Congress last week, Obama administration officials, “admitted that 100 to 150 West Africans from Ebola infected areas are entering the US every day.” How many others might be in the early stages of Ebola infection, similar to Dr. Spencer?
Missing is the common sense role of quarantine. Not a novel idea. Quarantines were used in the 1700’s in New York for new immigrants, “To prevent the bringing in and spreading of infectious distempers in the colony.” Within three weeks, this infection plays itself out and those quarantined can be released with a high probability of non-infection. Why wasn’t Dr. Spencer in a quarantine, especially after having returned from the “hot zone” in West Africa, himself working with Ebola patients? As a physician, shouldn’t he have known that he could be infectious? Why not self-exile for a few weeks fulfilling his duty to “first do no harm”?
What about the hundred plus entering the US every day who are not physicians and cannot be expected to know better?
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...