First Ebola victim returned to Atlanta
A protest of the risky Repatriation of the first of two Ebola victims to CDC Emory Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia on 8/2/14, and absence of sufficient travel restriction from the affected countries.
Others exposed in the mission field have returned with insufficient quarantine, as acknowledged by one of the workers, a physician in Tennessee. Of course, this is only a fait accompli when Congress has just adjourned. The Homeland security committee should hold hearings into how this travesty was allowed to happen.
The first victim has arrived under the auspices of the CDC at Emory Hospital with the highest level of containment to be tested. The second burning of Atlanta may necessarily follow.
These scientists are mad, filled with their own overconfidence in the face of this most serious and highly contagious epidemic. Sure, "any ICU can contain it"- just like we stopped MRSA! Trust us, they say. What could go wrong?
What is the chance and cost of failure to contain this agent after this voluntary repatriation? Military facilities under government control exist elsewhere for this purpose, but what other country would willingly serve as host?
Return of direct flights from the affected countries should be banned, and an executive order by Obama to prevent repatriation of infected citizens, their remains, any persons exposed and possibly infected prior to quarantine is needed.
If contagion occurs, failure to contain an avoidable national disaster will guarantee a Republican House and Senate in 2015. Imagine the finger pointing when the State Department is seen to be facilitating the importation of virus by insufficient precautions.
A potential plague of a most feared bioterrorism agent is being openly welcomed into our heartland by a government with no concept of its limitations, and no proven track record at its effective and safe isolation, as recent reports of mishandling of pathogenic anthrax by the CDC/NIH illustrate. This virus is not behaving the same as SARS, MERS, or Marburg agent.
A useful political protest would be to begin a citizens' and international boycott of all elective procedures in Atlanta hospitals, and all flights via Atlanta. Such short term disruption could be justified to raise public and corporate awareness to prevent a massive event before the prevention is fails and before vaccine and treatment is known and tested.
This virus could be death for our people, healthcare providers, and a major disruption to our economy, society, and the administration in the name of compassionate overconfidence. This is willfully letting the plague rats through the medieval gates. Mishandling the threat is the misguided, questionably well-intended equivalent of treason and terrorism.
Citizens should protest or prevent this transfer with voiced opinion to the White House, to Congress, the CDC, and on-site protest, but with due regard for the safety and containment of the deadly Ebola virus, its victims, and their dedicated caregivers. The risk of repatriation of this virus is against all common sense and law. It's the ultimate in medical hubris. The sensible alternative would be an all volunteer "plague ship" -not a danger on our shores.
ABC news coverage 8/2/14Definition of HubrisCBS covers arrival of Ebola infected physician-missionary from Liberia.