Obama Refuses To Close the Borders

Since two American nurses became infected with Ebola, pressure has mounted upon the Centers for Disease Control and President Obama. Harsh criticism of how this crisis has been managed was expressed at a congressional hearing. Obama tried to calm the waves after a further meeting with experts. “I understand people are worried,” he acknowledged on Thursday evening local time. Yet, he has opted not to refuse entry into the U.S. to those arriving from Ebola-stricken countries in West Africa for the time being, stating it is crucial to combat the crisis at its source — West Africa.

One of the infected American nurses who had treated the now deceased Ebola patient in Dallas, Texas, was flown out to a special clinic near Washington, D.C. on Thursday evening. As a precautionary measure, schools were closed in the states of Ohio and Texas. On television, nurses accused the authorities of not providing sufficient protection for them when they treat Ebola patients. However, panic does not reign in the U.S.

No Refusals of Entry

Obama is reported to have said that, fundamentally, he has nothing against refusing people entry into the country. Such measures would, however, be less effective than tests conducted on travelers from Ebola-affected countries in West Africa upon arrival at U.S. airports. Incoming passengers would be able to circumvent any refusal of entry by providing false information, Obama continued in the White House. It is still the case that the risk of contracting Ebola in the United States is extremely low. It is possible that he will appoint an “Ebola czar” — a top coordinator in the battle against the virus — very soon, the president added.

Leading representatives of the health authorities had to endure harsh criticism at a congressional hearing and tried to justify themselves. The heads of the CDC stated that the deadly virus is presenting even highly trained experts in the U.S. with challenges. Republican Tim Murphy spoke of the worst Ebola crisis the world has ever seen. Fred Upton demanded, as did many of his colleagues in the Republican Party, that flights from affected countries be forbidden. The head of the hospital in Texas, where the first Ebola patient outside Africa was treated, apologized during the hearing. Since then, the patient has died.