When I hear these statements being made about how "we don't want people to panic", I wonder what that statement means. In other words, what does "panic" mean, under these circumstances. Does it mean ripping one's clothes off and running wild in the streets, or what? Just asking.....
I would just like to see our "leaders" get PROACTIVE on this situation. It is well known that quarantine works very well in preventing the spread of communicable diseases. Quarantine laws have long been in place in the United States. Quarantine has been used effectively in our country at various times, beginning in 1918 during the "Spanish flu" pandemic, then extending to tuberculosis patients and polio patients throughout the years.
The Federal government along with State and County agencies have the means already in place to institute quarantine:
"Executive Orders specify the list of diseases for which federal quarantine is authorized, which is required by the Public Health Service Act. On recommendation of the HHS Secretary, the President may amend this list whenever necessary to add new communicable diseases, including emerging diseases that are a threat to public health.
Amendment to Executive Order 13295: Quarantinable Communicable Diseases
Federal Register Archives, signed April 4, 2003, amended by 13375 on April 1, 2005 and by 13674 on July 31, 2014."
http://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/specificlawsregulations.html
This latest patient was on an airplane one day before she entered the hospital, forgodsake. What if she coughed or sneezed onto her drop down tray? What if she used the bathroom?
Once she got off the plane in Dallas, that plane likely loaded up again within an hour! But so far at least, no one from the CDC is saying they are contacting all the people who were on the next flight of that plane, and the next one after that, etc.
It just sounds like these CDC people are not thinking ahead enough - at all. Yes, this CAN be contained at this stage, but SOMEBODY needs to be in charge and to make some tough decisions NOW. There is no vaccine and no cure for ebola. What else IS there BUT quarantine?