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Canada, Australia restrict visas amid Ebola scare

13 Comments
By ROB GILLIES

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13 Comments
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I think strict travel restrictions from affected countries is a good idea. Canada and Australia have done the right thing.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Simple common sense really.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

"Simple common sense"

Especially the part about Canada and Australia not locking up their returning medical workers for three weeks. It must not be election season in those countries.

Unfortunately, the quarantine is being used as a political tool. Remember that the hardest hit place in the U.S. was Dallas Presbyterian Medical Center, with one fatality and two infections, but even that outbreak was not reason enough for Texas officials to call for quarantines or shut down the hospital. It is still operating normally and employing at-risk medical staff a month later.

So a woman without any symptoms riding her bike in the sticks in northern Maine poses the highest risk? Nutty.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Kudos to Canada and Australia for having the rational sense to do the right thing.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Obama should have a stern talk with Australia and Canada (as well as with two dozen African countries). Ebola is not dangerous, why don´t the listen to him!

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Visa restrictions for the US could be meaningful if a corresponding increased effort was stop Ebola soon. If the disease spreads to many other countries visa restrictions will mean what?

First organize a Doctor Corps paid by the US government; decide how many doctors are necessary and adjust pay accordingly. These doctors can go and work for the usual NGO's in Africa, but when they come back they should have the opportunity to stay at a temporary quarantine center with plenty of open space, and be working paid for the quarantine period. Something like this is at least necessary for doctors who live in crowded urban areas like NYC.

Also, incentives should be offered to pharm companies to implement effective medications in the field. Doesn't have to be the ultimate medicine like MZapp, there are other medicines easier to produce which can help sooner, but pharm companies won't act without a cash incentive.

China might be proving soon that it is possible anyway, in case the US or other western countries don't do it:

"China has also dispatched hundreds of aid workers to Africa to combat Ebola including health experts and medical staff."

"Sihuan Pharmaceutical Holdings Group Ltd., a Chinese drug maker with military ties, has sent several thousand doses of an experimental Ebola drug to Africa and is planning clinical trials there."

http://ewn.co.za/2014/10/31/China-to-send-army-unit-to-fight-Ebola-in-Liberia

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Ebola is not dangerous, why don´t the listen to him!

No other world leasers listen to Obama. I don't see why Canada and Australia should be any different.

Do you really believe that Ebola isn't dangerous? Around 10,000 people have died from the disease and it is still not under control yet.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Maybe after the mid term elections US may join. They need those minority votes.

The Ebola Czar must be working hard to devise an expert plan. That must be why we the public don't see him.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

WilliB, you don't read much do you? Judging from your response, I'd recommend you look up "Ebola" on youtube! This may help you understand how bad the situation really is. And that Australia and Canada are doing what is best for their countries. And if that doesn't work, go back to school!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Australia Federal Election is two years away from now. Australia Government is protecting its citizens from Ebola disease. Tony Abbot Government is doing its duty. Prevention is better than cure but no vaccine and medicine for Ebola. Only treating Ebola infected patients with experimental medicine.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

WilliB is being sarcastic. But the easiest way to contain a disease is to do exactly what Canada/Australia did. How else did ebola become a global pandemic concern instead of being a regional epidemic ? How did the disease even hit Spain/US/etc? Because people were allowed to travel after being in contact with the regions returned with the disease they were trying to cure from countries that do not have the resources to contain the disease in the first place and did not quarantine themselves properly.

If over the next few months we don't hear about more and more people being infected then we won't have to worry about it. But if we do hear more, then it means Obama made the wrong choice and we're all going to have to deal with the consequences well after he leaves office. In order to not cause a panic, the feds will try and stifle certain info if they can if there are more people than reported infected with ebola.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

MarkG - Maybe after the mid term elections US may join. They need those minority votes.

The Ebola Czar must be working hard to devise an expert plan. That must be why we the public don't see him.

Obama brought in political spin doctor, Ron Klain, to be the eboal czar. Klain had no medical experience but that's not what the Obama administration needs at this time. The Obama administration needed someone who could keep the media from noticing that the Canadian Health Minister Rona Ambrose said in a statement the “number one priority is to protect Canadians” and Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Alexander said the government would act in the “best interests of Canadians.”

Imagine that, a government official who is actually interested in the safety and welfare of it's citizens instead making a public relations specialist the ebola czar.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Imagine that, a government official who is actually interested in the safety and welfare of it's citizens instead making a public relations specialist the ebola czar.

The word is that Obama is going to delay Ebola until after the election.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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