The Obama administration continues to refuse to halt travel from Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, even as the Ebola outbreak in those three countries continues to worsen. The administration backs that refusal with the absurd reasoning that a temporary travel ban might cause some in those countries to skip across the nearest border and fly to the US anyway, despite the fact that countries bordering the Ebola-stricken countries have closed their borders, and credit those closures with helping contain the disease. In fact, across Africa, countries have closed borders and stepped up security to stop Ebola in its tracks. The United States, however, continues to allow about 150 travelers to arrive here every day.
After 33-year-old doctor Craig Spencer, who had been in Guinea treating Ebola victims with Doctors Without Borders, tested positive for Ebola Thursday in New York, the Centers for Disease Control issued a series of tweets.
Healthcare worker returned through JFK Airport on Oct. 17, participated in enhanced screening for all returning travelers from W. Africa.
— CDC (@CDCgov) October 24, 2014
Patient didn't have fever or other symptoms of illness during screening; reported fever to health officials for 1st time today.
— CDC (@CDCgov) October 24, 2014
Both of those tweets back up what critics have charged — that the “enhanced screening” implemented at five US airports where travelers from the Ebola zone arrive has every chance of missing Ebola-exposed people arriving in the United States.
The enhanced screening consists of answering questions on a form, and having travelers’ temperature read by a laser-infrared thermometer. As long as an Ebola-exposed person is not yet symptomatic, they can get past that screening. Dr. Spencer underwent that screening, according to the CDC, yet he managed to carry Ebola around during a subway ride, an Uber ride, and a night out bowling.
Obviously, the “enhanced screening” did not catch him, stop him from entering the country or flag him for quarantine. And the CDC appears to be pointing that out for everyone to see.
President Obama’s Ebola czar, Ron Klain, is set to miss a House hearing on the disease today. The president appointed the career Democrat operative to head up his administration’s response to Ebola a week ago. Klain has failed to make any Ebola meetings since his appointment.
h/t Gateway Pundit
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