The Health Scare that Wasn't?

It seems to be a cultural characteristic of Americans to react in this fashion. As Winston Churchill so sagely observed, "Americans will ultimately do the right thing, but only after all other avenues have been explored."

However it "eventually" turned out the patient was not justified in ignoring CDC warnings not to travel and deserves no apology. As far as he or anyone else knew he posed a health risk and he acted on his understanding that he could be endangering the public health of those with whom he made contact. "No harm, no foul" is not a valid defense here.

Let's see now - the guy's a lawyer so he knows the legal implications of knowingly traveling with a deadly contagious disease as ANY form of TB can be. He knew he had some form of TB I believe back as early as Jan. so had plenty of time to postpone his wedding plans. He knew the implications of TB from his father-in-law who I am sure told them to postpone their plans. I am sure also that his son-in-law has made him aware of the financial implications for the couple if they admit and/or are found guilty of knowlingly traveling with a deadly contagious disease. The lawyer acted like the spoiled brat that he is by ignoring others’ lives and proceding with HIS plans, regardless of the implications on others’ lives. That lawyer is doing everything he can to dump on the gov't who, for a change, I don't think is guilty. His comments today that the gov't owes HIM an apology for creating a worldwide health panic when it was the LAWYER who did that make it clear that that is the lawyer's intention. He wants to avoid lawsuits from HIS victims as well as have the gov't pay for his top of the line, best in the world medical care (no I am not friends with nor related to anyone in the medical community dealing with this mess). The parents' comments about being "poor" fall on deaf ears when you've got your kids getting married in Greece (?). Again, positioning for impending law suits. Wake up world! Wake up reporters and start THINKING and RESEARCHING instead of taking the lawyers' words!!!!!! My Uncle had TB back in the late 1950s or early 1960s and I know what that did to the family. Mom and Dad had to have TB tests for years even though he was diagnosed in Kansas and we were in Washington state at the time. It’s not something to take chances with – for YOUR life as well as the lives of those you come in contact with. Some of his victims can’t afford to have a wedding in Greece, never mind affording all of the testing and treatment of TB they might contract!

I agree that although Mr. Speaker's health problem is less serious than first alerted, it is no less serious a warning for the rest of us. This incident shows how complacent we can become when we take things for granted. There needs to be a more stringent set of protocols in place for travelers who are suspected of having a communicable disease to prevent them from sperading it.

Charge the selfish bastard for all the costs involved! Money is the ONLY thing that gets the attention of people like this.

Carrying an airborne disease, this man knowingly and willingly sealed himself in an airplane cabin breathing recirculated air for 8.5 hours with other people. It doesn't matter which strain he had or thought he had. He knew better and did it anyway and had a plan for justifying it. Lock him in a room and throw away the room.