* From a press release…

Former Congressman and Congressional candidate Bobby Schilling (R-Colona) is calling for an immediate halt of commercial air traffic in and out of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia, the three countries where the Ebola virus is out of control, and any new countries that experience an uncontrolled outbreak.

“I have been constantly amazed by the ineptitude of President Obama and international agencies who keep saying it would be counter-productive to halt flights in and out of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia because there would be no way to get world health experts and medical supplies into and out of those countries,” Schilling said.

“We must protect our population, first and foremost. The answer is to immediately halt commercial air traffic with hundreds of civilian passengers who could then spread the virus all over our country and the world,” Schilling continued. “Instead, we should be using U.S. government small planes for Center for Disease Control (CDC) personnel and technicians who can wear masks and hazmat suits on the way out. A small plane with a few experts and medical supplies is infinitely better able to have both the passengers and the plane itself controlled and quarantined upon arrival.”

“It absolutely defies common sense why this hasn’t been done already,” Schilling said.

Schilling noted that neighboring countries Nigeria and Senegal have stamped out their Ebola outbreaks in small part by sealing their borders with Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. In this case, the world is like a hospital—those who have deadly contagious diseases are put in isolation until they are out of danger of spreading the disease. The same needs to be done with countries. It seems to have been part of the solution for Nigeria and Senegal.

Nigeria had 20 Ebola cases and eight deaths with 900 people potentially exposed. They got to business with a massive sense of urgency from the beginning with outstanding epidemiological detective work, and they closed their borders with countries where the outbreak was uncontrolled.

Schilling also said he has heard from numerous doctors and nurses here at home who are alarmed at the very slow progress in developing protocols on what to do if confronted by the need to treat a potential Ebola victim.

“Our Administration and healthcare leaders need to work around the clock until this vital planning is done because the Ebola virus is already here,” concluded Schilling.

* Polls show that an overwhelming majority agrees with this opinion, but a new Washington Post poll finds a majority has at least some confidence in the federal government to handle the situation…

* Kent Sepkowitz urges calm…

The same large sigh of relief should be heard from for the large health-care worker staff at the beleaguered Dallas hospital where Duncan was seen on Sept. 25 (when he was sent home) and again on Sept. 28, when he arrived by ambulance quite ill. They too seem to be in the clear. And the people on the airplane with Duncan through Brussels and Washington, D.C. are also in the clear.

Speaking of air travel, the single most important epidemiologic fact arguing for the public’s safety is this: Patrick Sawyer, the American who flew from Liberia to Nigeria while sick with Ebola, spread infection to absolutely no one who shared the plane with him. This information should go a long way to assuring those Frontier Airlines passengers who accompanied the second infected nurse from Cleveland to Dallas this week.

And still more: Spain, where a nurse caring for two repatriated patients dying of Ebola herself developed the disease, has not seen a second case related to these men’s care or the ill nurse’s, despite what has been reported by local groups as a complete lack of preparation and appropriate supplies to minimize the risk of transmission.

Despite a raging, unconscionable epidemic in West Africa, no other cases other than Duncan have appeared unexpectedly outside of Africa. Europe: Zero cases. USA: No further cases three weeks since Duncan’s illness began. Obviously past performance does not predict future returns and the world is not out of the danger zone but for now, the infected traveler is a rare event.

In other words, the rules of transmission in the community are exactly as promised with calm assurance weeks and months ago; and, conversely, the risk of caring for the super sick is every bit as harrowing and dangerous as feared when all of this began.

       

114 Comments - Bill White - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:26 am: = Bobby Schilling (R-Colona) is calling for an immediate halt of commercial air traffic in and out of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia = Does he mean to the United States or does he mean to anywhere? If he means to anyway, is he really saying the U.S. should unilaterally impose a “no fly” zone on three sovereign nations? - William j Kelly - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:27 am: The latest we ask America poll has rauner with in the margin of error in a direct matchup with Ebola. - Walter Mitty - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:29 am: Fair criticism… Leadership has been Obama’s Achilles heel… Why wouldn’t schilling say what many are thinking… On both sides of the aisle. Ask a kid if someone is puking at there front door if they let them in or close the door? Sometimes, it’s that simple. - Anonymous - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:31 am: I agree with him that direct commercial passenger flights from these three countries to the U S should be stopped for awhile. Obviously, docs and supplies could be flown in and out. The CDC is partially guessing on the chances of the contagion spreading. - yo - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:31 am: Appears so, Bill White. Schilling really appears to understand how the world works, doesn’t he? /snark. And if it is the second scenario you raise, and the countries don’t agree to such a restriction, does he propose we shoot commercial airliners out of the sky?? Fox News (local) carried the president’s two briefings on the topic so far, broke into programming actually for it, drudge report has been going nuts for weeks about ebola. I think it may just be super rich trying to bust the stock market bubble. who knows. I can tell you one thing though. Getting ebola is not keeping me up at night, but my prayers for those with it in West Africa are. - Gooner - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:31 am: Well, that’s just great from the guy who, when he was in Congress, did absolutely nothing to address the threat posed to Chicago residents (current and former) by camels. As we all know, camel attacks this year have killed more current or former Chicago residents than Ebola! Yet why did Schilling completely ignore that issue when he was in Congress? Where was Schilling when former Chicago residents faced the threat of out of control camels? Probably dining at some fancy Washington D.C. place with his lobbyist pals, while those camels were free to kick and sit on innocent Chicago residents. So yeah Bobby, keep talking. Too bad you were not talking about camel safety when you had the chance. That one is on you, pal. - pundent - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:32 am: What seems like “common sense” to fear mongering politicians is widely panned by health experts. Why don’t we just order all of our citizens to stay indoors until influenza season ends since the number of deaths attributed to that annually far outpace Ebola. - William j Kelly - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:32 am: In all seriousness why isn’t sen Kirk doing a press conference endorsing schilling’s proposal instead of doing dopey commercials with bob dolt? - John A Logan - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:34 am: Stop the flights. This is not complicated. - Anonymous - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:35 am: Pundent, now that is pretty silly. Please. - Norseman - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:35 am: I suppose Schilling still checks under his bed for the boogie man. Dope. - Downstate - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:36 am: The economy of late winter-early spring 2014 was clearly impacted by the prolonged and severe winter condition in the Midwest. This has the same potential - but on steroids. As I asked a friend yesterday - what if the Ebola nurses, rather than being from Dallas, were located in St. Louis. Would you alter your plans for shopping there this weekend? “Most definitely” was the response. Unlike the bitter weather, it doesn’t have to touch everybody - it only has to hit a few people in any city, before the economy is quickly impacted. We don’t need to ban travel from these countries, only require a 21-28 day quarantine period. - Anonymous - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:36 am: Comparing Ebola and the flu is the height of ridiculousness. - hisgirlfriday - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:37 am: As far as I know there are no direct commercial flights between these nations and the US. You have to get a connecting flight. So Schilling is either calling for a ban on flights that don’t exist or for Obama to assert his authority as dictator of the world and tell other sovereign nations they are no longer allowed to fly in or out of West Africa - 47th Ward - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:37 am: More people will die in car accidents this year than from Ebola. Should we ban cars? Total fear mongering by Schilling. Smells desperate to me. - Walter Mitty - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:38 am: pundent… last week the guidance to health care workers was just masks and gloves… from the CDC not space suits.. Health care workers have now gotten Ebola… The reasons there is some “fear mongering” is because those in charge were wrong. The same ones are saying a travel ban won’t help. Even Jay Carney is on record that at least the ban will make fears alleviate.. Seems plausible to at least address folks fears.. Even if that all it does.. It helps. - Wordslinger - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:38 am: Bobby Schilling is eminently qualified for the job. Have him round up the Killer Bees while he’s at it. Broadcast media just loves an alarmist freak show. The country has Ebola Fever. — catch it! What were the last things that were going to kill us all? SARS? Swine Flu? The little kids from Central America? Hard to keep up. - Almost the Weekend - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:39 am: If this isn’t fear mongering, I don’t know what else is. An American has a better chance of a dying in a plane crash, than dying from Ebola. This is not Obama’s Katrina. Funny how the George Bush Legacy still lives on. - 47th Ward - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:40 am: The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. What a bunch of bedwetters. - Gooner - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:40 am: Downstate, they wouldn’t go to a city because two people had Ebola there? There would be a lot of reasons to avoid St. Louis (starting with “it has Cardinals fans” and including “nearly completely filled with admitted residents of Missouri”) but two sick nurses would not stop me. - too obvious - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:40 am: Jesus didn’t abandon the lepers. But I digress. Hats off to Bobby Schilling for racing directly to the bottom on the pandering and fear mongering. For one thing he’s perpetuating a right wing myth from the Obama hater crowd. It’s untrue that Nigeria and Senegal have sealed their borders. They are definitely monitoring and there are restrictions, but they haven’t sealed. - NorthbyNorthWest - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:43 am: Schilling needs to spend less time talking about ebola and more time raising money. - pundent - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:43 am: Anonymous - I agree. You’re far more likely to die from the flu than you are from Ebola. My apologies for making the comparison. - Walter Mitty - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:43 am: Well… Is Obama fear mongering? He just named an Ebola Czar… - Gooner - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:44 am: Walter, We should ban travel because it was do something about the irrational fear of some? “Because people have an irrational fear, we should take irrational action.” I don’t know, Walter. That doesn’t make much sense to me. - A guy... - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:45 am: C’mon guys. He’s right on this one, but he’s belaboring the obvious. This has not been handled well and the state of readiness at CDC is certainly a question. There is a commonsense solution with a short term moratorium on commercial flights. Planes are petri dishes on a good day. - Try-4-Truth - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:47 am: Please listen, this is drivel. There are NO (none, zip, nada) direct flights from these three countries to the United States. Obama has led so well that he saw this coming and didn’t allow the flights to begin with / (snark) - Grandson of Man - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:47 am: I’m not sure about banning flights into and out of certain countries, because Ebola is difficult to transmit. Thanks Rich for publishing a counterpoint to the hysteria, to inform us that the disease is indeed hard to catch. We should definitely take precautions, but sensible ones, like better protecting healthcare workers–you know, those overpaid, unionized tax guzzlers. As far as people criticizing Obama for handling Ebola, perhaps some of the critics can offer up a few sentences on how Reagan responded to the AIDS epidemic. - Anonymous - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:48 am: The more voters are anxious and fearful, the more they believe attacks on incumbents, and the more they are willing to vote for change, any change. Right now we have the Ebola scare, fluctuating markets, and fear about ISIS and our response to that threat. I’ve said before if consumer confidence dips again, and the Dow goes significantly below $17K, Quinn’s in trouble. Those are happening right now. These new perceived threats only add to his troubles. Because of the background public sentiment, which can outweigh any policy differences, I’m back to Rauner by a nose. [For what it’s worth. I am often wrong.] - 47th Ward - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:48 am: A guy, there aren’t any direct flights to the US now. Hard to put a moratorium on something that d - 47th Ward - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:48 am: D - 47th Ward - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:49 am: Sorry. “Doesn’t exist.” Stupid iPhone. - Judgment Day - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:51 am: Been talking to several of my EH (Environmental Health) friends and they’re not so confident, particularly when it comes to recent displays from both CDC and IDPH (last Friday; 10.10.2014 was a good example for IDPH) leadership. And these folks have been around for a while. Two points: One, the first goal when dealing with anything like Ebola is to limit/reduce it’s mobility. That’s one of the primary rules dealing with infectious disease. That rule goes back to the mid 1800’s, if not before. Say what you will, but with Ebola, we (CDC) broke a number of our own rules that have been pounded home to all the locals. There’s lots of people shaking their heads over that one. Let’s just say there’s quite number of local (chartered) health departments who are very unimpressed with IDPH right now. Very unimpressed. Second, this isn’t the CDC of 20 years ago. Those folks back then were pro’s - If they said this was what was going to happen, IT HAPPENED. There was NO POLITICS - It was “Get it Handled”. They did not care about offending folk’s tender sensibilities. Just sayin. You talk to the Health Department folks who have been around - they see a difference. They won’t say it publicly - but according to the locals, this crew we have in leadership at both CDC and IDPH just isn’t up to it. And they also know that if it does get bad where there is a state of emergency declared (hopefully, very unlikely), the EH folks (in Illinois) in the Chartered Health Departments are going to each be responsible for quarantine efforts within their jurisdictions. Readiness? - hopefully (really hoping) it won’t be necessary. There’s a lot to that, and this just got ‘dumped’ on the Health Departments in the last 2 weeks, and they are scrambling. And IDPH is not on their Christmas list…. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:53 am: Until some smart politician stops all thus nonsense and just flat out tells me to put a bubble over my house and never leave the sterilization of my abode, this is just pandering. Either go all-in and make me think I can get something through the intertubes, or just pander. ===There is a commonsense solution with a short term moratorium on commercial flights.=== It’s commonsense to refuse to believe only flights from one region will transfer this virus is ignorant to how small the globe is today… …but that’s my opinion from my bubble-boy existence. - Anonymous - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:55 am: - This has not been handled well and the state of readiness at CDC is certainly a question. - Wow, now you’re an expert on international healthcare? Sheesh, I thought liberals were supposed to be the worriers, but you right wingers appear to be straight up cowards. - Walter Mitty - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:56 am: Cowards? Say’s Anonymous… Is Obama??? He named a Czar… - walker - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:57 am: anon 9:48 above was me. - Try-4-Truth - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:59 am: This discussion is why I’m starting to despise modern-day politics. Mr. Mitty, if you get Ebola, I will personally take care of you and your family. You will not have to worry. Let’s all put our big boy/girl pants on and start talking about real issues. Geese Louise. - William j Kelly - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:59 am: Future generations of historians will endlessly debate the question- why did homeland security spend ALL of their time strip searching grandma at the airport and not stopping Ebola? - Anonymous - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:00 am: He named a czar? My goodness, could he overreact any further? What’s next, will the czar call healthcare experts and make sure sensible policies are in place? Or will they just go straight to thermonuclear plasma? Not sure how I’ll sleep tonight… - Bigtwich - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:00 am: What about Texas? Can we stop commercial air flights from Texas? - pundent - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:00 am: If Schilling wanted to add something constructive to the debate he would be expressing his outrage over the fact that we don’t have a Surgeon General (because our dysfunctional congress won’t approve the candidate) and describe how he’s going to make this a top priority. Anything else is fear mongering and pandering. - Walter Mitty - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:02 am: Try..THANK YOU! HA HA… I am not worried about me..I am worried at the perception that is becoming panic… The post is the fact it’s become an issue in politics in Illinois.. Obama has responded by naming a Czar.. Last week, we had nothing to worry about.. Don’t blame the messenger (me or anyone else) for pointing out the facts. - Walter Mitty - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:04 am: Good Day people… I am meeting Travolta in his spare bubble…. - MrJM (@MisterJayEm) - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:04 am: Deaths due to Ebola in the United States: 1 (total) Deaths due to firearms in the United States: 30,000+ (annually) A few deep breaths won’t cure Ebola, but they do seem warranted. – MrJM - Anonymous - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:05 am: The U S government is on it! I can rest easier now. They did such a fine job with the VA and ObamaCare. - Tom Joad - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:06 am: 40 Republicans have come out for stopping flights from the most affected countries to the U. S. Shilling was probably told to support this too. The fear mongering level is going up fast. - Skeptic - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:09 am: You know, even Fox News says “calm down.” - Try-4-Truth - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:12 am: Mr. Mitty. Here is what I am hearing,”EBOLA, Obama has failed us and we’re all doomed”. “The panic caused by this is the real issue” Sooooo, cause a panic, then say the panic is the issue. Brilliant. - Carl Nyberg - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:15 am: Question for Schilling: how many cases of Ebola need to happen in Texas before we cut-off air travel from Texas? Schilling is campaigning on fear and prejudice. Bustos made a fool of herself in her own way. Schilling couldn’t just leave it at that. He had to prove he’s a much bigger fool and a coward. - Anonymous - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:16 am: I spoke with a friend who is a doc at Mayo’s. He said the docs there have little confidence in the CDC’s ability to control this outbreak. He said they are making educated guesses as to its transmission characteristics and the protection of citizens and health care workers. - OldSmoky2 - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:17 am: And in a follow-up press release today Schilling is expected to demand that Obama stop the sky from falling. - Anonymous - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:19 am: Discussing restrictions on travel in and out of areas that are out of control with an Ebola outbreak is not “fear mongering”. Many Congressmen are discussing just that, as has the CDC and the President. Some commenters here need to get off their jumping to conclusion mats. - Skeptic - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:21 am: “He named a czar? My goodness, could he overreact any further?” Ok, so first Obama wasn’t doing anything, now he names a czar and he’s overreacting? Sheesh. “He said they are making educated guesses as to its transmission characteristics” Eh? They know pretty darned well how it works. It’s transmitted by direct contact with the fluids of the symptomatic infected. No symptoms, no danger. The virus has a short (hours) lifespan outside of a host, and is not transmitted by air or doorknobs or toilet seats. - Amateur Hour - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:22 am: I love these “statistics” some of you oh-so-educated folks are citing, even though it’s literally the dawn of an outbreak. Just wait. Let’s hope it gets contained. Is this how you cope with Illinois’s budget shortfalls too? - anon - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:24 am: Read an article this morning about airports checking passenger’s temperature, just started in Chicago today. 150 people a day arrive in the USA from those three countries, 9000 since August. Something like 94% arrive at three airports. CDC looking like a bunch of clowns to me. - Anonymous - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:25 am: No danger in airplane travel with an Ebola victim. Ebola is not transmitted that way. Oh yeah, by the way, take that plane out of service and sanitize every inch of it. Yes, I have total confidence in the Feds to handle this. No worries. - William j Kelly - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:26 am: I know that it isn’t cool to study about something called ‘history’ much less talk about it but if you want a good laugh research how our ancestors thought they would stop the Black Plague by killing all the cats, well at least they weren’t strip searching grandma and telling everyone to take their shoes off because that would be really STUPID! - Wordslinger - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:28 am: JD, you’re already talking about a state of emergency? Because TV people are going apey? “Shark Week” must be terrifying for you. Get a grip, son. - Tom Joad - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:29 am: As Franklin Roosevelt once said: The only thing we have to fear is Fear itself. - Anonymous - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:31 am: The “Czar” could be our Surgeon General. Oh yeah, I forgot. We do not have one. The politicians cannot and will not vote on the nominee. Yeah, I trust them implicitly. - Haverford - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:32 am: Rarely have I been so tempted to break the no profanity ban as after reading Schilling’s press release. But Rich makes the rules, so I’ll just say that’s one of the dumbest things I’ve ever read. - Huh? - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:37 am: The ebola crisis isn’t any different that any other contagious disease that medical professionals can pick up in a hospital. Far more doctors and nurses have gotten HIV or hepatitis from needle sticks through gloves than will ever got ebola in the US. Ebola is the hysteria of the week. - Judgment Day - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:42 am: “JD, you’re already talking about a state of emergency? Because TV people are going apey? “Shark Week” must be terrifying for you. Get a grip, son.” ——————– Word, get a clue. IDPH reps brought that issue up to the local County (and some municipal) Environmental Health directors and staff in meetings over the last several weeks around the state. That’s when IDPH dropped this little beauty about the local health departments being responsible for administering quarantines for their geographic areas. In case you don’t realize it (understandable, btw), that’s an unbelievable amount of work they just dumped on the locals to do. Personally, I get to try and help out some of the locals with all this extra work that IDPH just dumped on them. And we’re finding that IDPH seems to be pretty clueless about what they are asking of everybody. We’re not ‘terrified’, just incredibly frustrated at what is coming across as pitifully poor leadership from both CDC and IDPH. - Del Clinkton - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:43 am: @anonymous: The US Government is on it. They did such a fine job with Iraq that we’re now going to spend trillions blowing up the trillions in toys we left there. And still no WMD’s. At least millionaires (like Bruce!) got a massive expansion of Wealthy Welfare out of it! - Tim Snopes - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:43 am: Schilling the pizza man has some real experience here, eh? Any politician who is using this for political gain should be disqualified in the minds of voters (save Tea Partiers and Faux News enthusiasts. ) Knucklehead. - walker - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:44 am: Simple political truth in recent decades: The more fear is increased among voters, the more Republicans get votes. It goes hand in hand with American political conservatism. - Anonymous - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:44 am: - “He named a czar? My goodness, could he overreact any further?” Ok, so first Obama wasn’t doing anything, now he names a czar and he’s overreacting? Sheesh. - It was snark, man. I ain’t shook about Ebola. - Federalist - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:48 am: Schilling has made his comments so where does Bustos stand? If she has made comments please let me know as I have missed them. Ebola is to be taken seriously. Personally, I do not have enough medical expertise on this matter to know how easily it can be contracted. However, until we really know more it is better to be safe than sorry. Incoming flights of passengers from these areas should be banned (whatever flights they took). An exception should be made for U.S. citizens and they should arrive on a special flight and then be quarantined. - Skeptic - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:48 am: Anon @ 10:44 Good, I was hoping you would say that. - Jake From Elwood - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:49 am: Fear-bola has replaced terror-noia as the media target to instill panic and drive ratings. Of course the politicians are going to use these current events to their advantage. It’s pandering season! - MrJM (@MisterJayEm) - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:51 am: “I love these ’statistics’ some of you oh-so-educated folks are citing, even though it’s literally the dawn of an outbreak.” Why are you wasting your time posting on this site? You should take your gift for prophecy to the nearest casino. They’ll really love your disdain for statistics. – MrJM - Jake From Elwood - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:52 am: Maybe Ms. Bustos should donate 10% of her salary to Ebola research. - Formerly Known As... - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:53 am: With O’Hare on pace to once again become the world’s busiest airport this year, it would not be shocking to see Ebola appear in Illinois at some point if our current procedures remain in place. We may not have to halt all American air traffic to and from these countries, but we should strengthen our screening procedures beyond those being newly deployed at O’Hare and make sure sound response plans are in place. - Gooner - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:54 am: In all seriousness, it is interesting that nobody on the right is recommending restrictions on air travel from Texas. Gee, I wonder why not? - Conservative Republican - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:58 am: ==Hats off to Bobby Schilling for racing directly to the bottom on the pandering and fear mongering.== Really?? And I address to all others who agree with the above sentiment. Ebola is a virus for which there is no vaccine. It kills 50% of the people who contract it. It is fairly easily transmitted person to person. It has the capability of being the cause of the next pandemic. Drawing serious attention to this and advocating serious measures to prevent a pandemic is far above the “bottom” of politicking. By contrast, how can you claim that to be a “new low” after weeks of bashing the rich, screeching about the minimum wage, claiming that candidates are personally responsible for nursing home deaths and shipping “your” job to China?? I don’t think Schilling’s statements on ebola come anywhere near such low pandering, although you would never admit it. - overcooked - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:59 am: I will feel safer when the President is comfortable enough to resume fundraising and golfing - Pot calling kettle - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:59 am: The Republicans are making hay on the fear mongering. The folks that should be capitalizing on this are the Democrats. The President should not appoint a “czar” he should demand that Congress approve the Surgeon General and then point out that this mess can be traced back to Republicans short-changing funding for the CDC, the NIH, and foreign aid, all attacked as “big govenrment” and “wasteful spending.” The Dems are really dropping the ball on this politically. - walker - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:59 am: ===”some of you oh-so-educated folks”=== Ha! My knowledge gleaned from horror films and entertaining newscasts trumps your education anytime! - pundent - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:01 am: Federalist - “Personally, I do not have enough medical expertise on this matter to know how easily it can be contracted. However, until we really know more it is better to be safe than sorry.” When Schilling and others start to apply this standard to other crises (let’s say climate change) I’ll start to take them seriously. Otherwise it’s nothing more than exploitation for votes. - Federalist - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:05 am: “We may not have to halt all American air traffic to and from these countries, but we should strengthen our screening procedures beyond those being newly deployed at O’Hare and make sure sound response plans are in place.” I beg to differ. the place to check is with those countries and individuals where problems first exist. Another layer of delays in order to board a plane is a measure of last resort and has the tail wagging the dog. - Demoralized - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:07 am: I don’t think banning flights is the right response. I don’t even know that there are direct flights to the US from any of those countries. Perhaps he means that all countries should ban flights in and out of those three places? You can certainly put a halt to people from those countries entering the US. I think that would be reasonable. I do think we were caught a bit off guard when Ebola reached the US. I’m not sure why that was the case but it is what it is now and all we can do is fix the problem. I have confidence that the government knows what it is doing. I think that it’s incredibly sad that Ebola has turned into a political football. - Aldyth - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:09 am: Since there are no direct flights to the United States from Liberia, Sierra Leone, or Guinea, you’d have to ban all of the connecting flights from Europe to the United States. That’s a much bigger deal than banning them from those three countries. Rick Perry of Texas might not be able to get back home when he’s done with his European tour. - Demoralized - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:10 am: == It is fairly easily transmitted person to person.== Thank you Doctor Conservative Republican. Actually, it isn’t that easy to catch it unless you are in contact with an infected individual’s bodily fluids. You can stand a few feet away from an infected individual without any protection and not be at risk of catching the virus. This is what happens in these types of crises. You have people with little knowledge spreading false information. How about we focus on reality. ==By contrast, how can you claim that to be a “new low” after weeks of bashing the rich, screeching about the minimum wage, claiming that candidates are personally responsible for nursing home deaths and shipping “your” job to China?? I don’t think Schilling’s statements on ebola come anywhere near such low pandering, although you would never admit it.== That’s just a pathetic response. Can some of you not stop being victims? Grow. Up. - Federalist - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:10 am: pundent, Stay focused- the topic is ebola and not climate change. - pundent - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:18 am: Federalist The comparison is quite relevant. You’re suggesting that Schilling is taking a “better safe than sorry” approach motivated by an abundance of caution. I’m merely pointing out what a ridiculous assertion that is. I’m actually shocked at how Schiling has blundered this week. He’s up against a very beatable candidate. Yet instead of focusing on her flaws he’s squandered the opportunity by defending a serial OSHA violator and trying to score cheap political points with fear mongering. Statistically speaking his constituents are far more likely to die in a dust explosion in the local pet feed facility than they are in contracting Ebola. - Formerly Known As... - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:21 am: == Another layer of delays in order to board a plane == Meant mostly in regards to those entering Illinois at O’Hare, not those boarding and leaving Illinois. - Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:25 am: ===What about Texas? Can we stop commercial air flights from Texas? === lol I’ve forwarded your question to the Schilling campaign. - A guy... - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:26 am: 47 from about 8″ up on this thread. You could not allow persons holding passports from the area effected to fly into the US. The gentleman who died did fly (not non-stop) into Dallas. My issue is that the air quality/circulation in an airplane is already full of recirculated germs. It heightens the chance. That’s all. Simply until we get on top of this. As I recall Bird Flu was a huge problem in air travel. I’m not a hypochondriac, but I try not to fly during the Spring because of all the sneezing and runny noses on flights. Back when I had to travel much more often, there was almost nothing I could do to keep from getting sick after flying in the Spring. Erring on the safe side isn’t a bad policy here. - low level - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:27 am: Hats off to Bobby for his immigration work and most excellent position on this matter! What a true statesman! /snark Go back to selling pizzas and riding the bike to tea party hysteria meetings dude - Federalist - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:28 am: Pundent, Your political bias is quite obvious. Again stay focused and read what is written. Did I say that Schilling is taking a position of better safe than sorry? NO, I did not! I said it is better to take that position I will let him speak for himself and I wish Bustos would speak directly to this issue and say what she wants. Bye ,bye, I have no desire to respond to you again so say whatever you want in return. - Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:29 am: ===air quality/circulation in an airplane is already full of recirculated germs=== http://www.wired.com/2014/08/ebola-airplanes-disease/ When the air is pulled into the grills in the floor, pilot Patrick Smith writes in Cockpit Confidential, about half is expelled from the plane. The rest is filtered and recycled with fresh air from the compressors. High efficiency particulate air filters, installed on every commercial airliner made since the late 1980s, remove up to 99.97% of all microbes, and “there’s a total changeover of air every two or three minutes,” Smith writes. According to the WHO, “under normal conditions cabin air is cleaner than the air in most buildings.” The highest risk of catching something nasty from your fellow travelers comes when you’re sitting on the ground. The engines aren’t running, so fresh air isn’t being pulled in. That’s why WHO recommends airlines ensure “adequate cabin ventilation” during ground delays of 30 minutes or more. - pundent - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:42 am: Federalist - I’d actually like to get behind Schilling because I think Bustos is kind of nutty and makes dumb comments (like giving up 10% of her pay). However, Schilling seems intent on establishing that he’s crazier than her. I have no political bias. I try to vote for the most reasoned and intelligent candidate. However that doesnt’ seem to exist in the 17th district. - Huh? - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:51 am: “… dawn of an outbreak …” Oh Please. The sun hasn’t even set from the day before. Three people have been diagnosed with ebola in the US. One of whom brought it from Africa. This is political pandering and scare mongering at the highest degree - Cheswick - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:56 am: I can’t believe all the people who have blasted Obama for being a dictator (or were silent when their ilk did so), are now wanting him to get on his throne and start dictating. - Norseman - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:57 am: The local health departments are being asked to do what they’re supposed to do. Infectious disease control is one of their core functions. They also get a health protection grant that requires them to do that. Many also receive bioterrorism money to help build their capacity to deal with emergencies. As with everything in government, IDPH and the locals are short on money, but that doesn’t abrogate their responsibility. They will have to deal with in with the limited resources. - Keyser Soze - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 12:04 pm: The Ebola matter came up in discussion the other day with a doctor friend of mine, someone who knows about virus mutations and the spread of contagions via aerosols, etc. He probably does not know of Schilling, his pizza, or his opinions of anything. But, on the Ebola outbreak, the two are in agreement. On the subject of the CDC’s performance, he is of the opinion that the agency now puts spin on matters rather than focusing on facts and precaution as it once did. Hearsay, so take it for what it’s worth. - Greg - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 12:10 pm: You have a better chance of being taxed to death than dying from “Obola”!!!!!1 - A guy... - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 12:16 pm: I think we agree, right Rich? At least the Chicago airport flying experience is chock full of your last paragraph there. - Cook County Commoner - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 12:18 pm: Gov Quinn should immediately exercise his police power and order all airlines using Illinois’ airports to provide three feet of separation at all times between passengers on planes (especially in economy class) and in terminals. And make sure ticket prices don’t increase as a result. Do we have a hazmat suit shortage yet? I see prices ranging from under $200.00 to over $2000.00. Which is best? Can I receive a subsidy? P Quinn and B Rauner should have a special debate on these issues. And I want my taxes to go down. - Del Clinkton - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 12:20 pm: I think once we learn how it was transmitted from the Texas patient to the nurses we will have clearer idea of what the next steps should be taken. - Peoria Guy - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 1:06 pm: I see the President has now appointed an Ebola Czar. I suspect he will be appointing a Flu Czar shortly since it is much more dangerous then Ebola. - Peoria Guy - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 1:11 pm: To correct a posting from earlier, new stats show this outbreak kills 70% of its victims, not 50%. - Louis G Atsaves - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 1:15 pm: It always took a team of wild horses to drag me onto a plane long before the Ebola crisis erupted. My opinion on air travel hasn’t changed. I hate flying commercial airlines. I still drive my Jeep everywhere. That being said, I believe the Ebola over reaction rivals the initial AIDS over reaction from years back. Lots of misinformation, fear and paranoia. I understand President Obama just appointed a “Ebola Czar.” And he isn’t a doctor? Now I’m worried! - Peoria Guy - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 1:21 pm: Yeah, the Czar is a Democratic operative not a doctor. - How Ironic - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 1:21 pm: @ Peoria Guy, Regarding your statistic, I don’t think that it’s relative to the US. The deaths that are occuring are in areas that have little or no medical facilities. The treatment is primative, limited to the very basics of medical care. If they receive an iv of fluid, I would be suprised. The survivial rate of patients in advanced medical centers is higher. It’s not a good disease to catch for sure, but survival rates do depend upon the level of care provided once a person is exhibiting symptoms. - Cheswick - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 1:24 pm: @Louis: You think there was an AIDS over-reaction initially? I don’t. If anything, AIDS caused barely a blip in the halls of congress, and not even a peep out of the White House. - Peoria Guy - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 1:32 pm: Correct How Ironic. I was just updating the latest stats. It is not the flu. Contrary to what was said earlier by somebody, it is much worse. - Judgment Day - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 2:20 pm: “The local health departments are being asked to do what they’re supposed to do. Infectious disease control is one of their core functions. They also get a health protection grant that requires them to do that. Many also receive bioterrorism money to help build their capacity to deal with emergencies. As with everything in government, IDPH and the locals are short on money, but that doesn’t abrogate their responsibility. They will have to deal with in with the limited resources.” ———————– The Local Health Protection Grant money is for a whole group of activities, of which “Infectious Disease Control” is like one out of seven, I believe. We’re not screaming (like CDC is for example) for “more money”, even though CDC has gotten a pretty nice set of increases since 2000, because at the local level we have already figured out that we’re not going to get it. In Illinois, it’s seemingly more important to ‘waste’ $52 mil on so-called violence protection or on hiring IDOT patronage employees to “create spreadsheets and plant trees”. Most Health Departments have seen stagnant budget numbers for the last few years. Wonder how many hazmat suits, respirators, shoe protectors, disposal kits, cleanup kits, and goggles we could have gotten for $52 mil? What the locals don’t appreciate is this IDPH - 2 fold approach of “Oh, btw, get ready to handle this if necessary”, and secondly “Good luck with that” as they (IDPH) ran for cover. That’s how it has come across. Oh, and we’ve got our radiation detectors (really fancy toys) and our hazmat suits (not enough, but some) under bioterrorism. Now all we have to do is get everybody FIT tested so they can use the gear. Hint: FIT Testing: Respirator fit testing requirements for any worker who is required to use a tight-fitting respirator. It’s kind of important if you are going to be using a respirator for a potentially long period of time. And now they give give us an ‘Ebola Czar’ who’s an insider LAWYER type. Oh yeah, that will work. Does anybody out there who’s supposed to be in charge know how to play this game? - Jorge - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 3:14 pm: The hysteria on this topic is a joke. I’m still waiting for that small pox attack W and his boys made me get that annoying small pox shot for before I went to Iraq. Some of you nutters need to breath deeply or lay off the booze. - Peoria Guy - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 3:22 pm: I haven’t seen people here panicing or any hysteria for that matter. Debating restricting air travel to West Africa is hardly panicing. At the Ebola hearings Thursday, Rep. Henry Waxman (D., Calif.) said, I guess to the American people: “Don’t panic.” No one’s panicking—except perhaps the administration, which might explain its decisions. Is it always the most frightened people who run around telling others to calm down? -Peggy Noonan - Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 3:29 pm: ===Is it always the most frightened people who run around telling others to calm down?=== Then, by that logic, Fox News and Drudge are the least frightened people on the planet. - Jorge - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 3:38 pm: I’m not panicking P Guy. Ebola Reston is airborne has been here for 25 years. The only things guaranteed are death and taxes. - Responsa - Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 4:28 pm: I think nationally we will start to see more politicians from both parties who are running for office or re-election this Nov. to make statements in favor of reasonable travel restrictions. Sen Kay Hagan (D. NC) this afternoon: “I have said for weeks that travel restrictions should be one part of a broad strategy to prevent Ebola from spreading in the U.S. and fighting it in Africa,” said Hagan in her statement. “I am calling on the Administration to temporarily ban the travel of non-U.S. citizens from the affected countries in West Africa. Although stopping the spread of this virus overseas will require a large, coordinated effort with the international community, a temporary travel ban is a prudent step the President can take to protect the American people, and I believe he should do so immediately.” Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.