Two Georgia candidates for office call for flight ban from West Africa

Two political candidates in perhaps most difficult elections in Georgia, U.S. Rep. John Barrow (D-Ga) who is running for reelection in his 12^th district and David Perdue (R) who is running for U.S. Senate, joined a growing crowd of lawmakers who support a flight ban on West African countries most affected by the Ebola virus.

Statement from Barrow’s campaign, released this moing:

”It seems we are reaching a tipping point in our efforts to combat the Ebola virus around the world and to keep it from becoming a full blown catastrophe in the United States. The American people have grave conces about the U.S. govement’s handling of this crisis so far….

”First, we must stop direct flights from countries with out-of-control Ebola infection rates. This is basic, with no real unmanageable consequences, and just makes too much common sense not to do. We can easily make safe, secure, alteative accommodations for aid workers and those who have justifiable emergencies. But I fear that, for someone infected with Ebola, it is too great a temptation to hop on a direct flight to the United States in hopes of being treated in an American hospital. We can’t risk it.

Barrow, a Blue Dog Democrat who is running for the first time in mid-term elections in his newly redrawn district that is now majority Republican, is facing a tough fight against conservative Rick Allen. The Democrat is considered one of the most endangered lawmakers in the House of Representatives and is polling neck and neck with his opponent.

Perdue also appears to be tied with his opponent Democrat Michelle Nunn in a battle for the U.S. Senate seat.

From the Perdue camp, statement on Ebola flight restrictions released on Wednesday:

”Georgia is now at the forefront of our national response to Ebola. President Obama once again failed to lead and took a serious threat far too lightly….Georgians deserve to know their govement is handling our domestic response to Ebola with a sense of urgency. The Obama administration must protect Americans with an aggressive comprehensive plan to stop the spread of this deadly disease, including immediate flight and travel restrictions to prevent additional individuals from entering the United States from Ebola-stricken countries.

Perdue is referring to the Emory University hospital in Atlanta that is now caring for Texas nurse Amber Vinson who became infected with Ebola after she took care of Eric Duncan at her Dallas hospital. Duncan, who came to U.S. from Liberia with the virus, died on Oct. 8.  Emory is one of four U.S. hospitals  with special isolation units and has already successfully treated three Americans diagnosed with the disease, and thus far no healthcare workers became ill.

That’s a stark difference from the stories told about the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital.  Duncan was first tued away from the hospital, even though he was already showing signs of the virus. In Liberia, Duncan helped transport a dying Ebola patient to a local hospital. Few days later he abruptly quit his job, and after denying any contact with Ebola patients in an airport questionnaire, boarded a flight for U.S.  It is still unclear if Duncan admitted he had contact with Ebola patients when he first arrived at the Texas hospital.

The nursing staff from the Texas Health Presbyterian gave a statement via the National Nurses United alleging that the hospital did not provide them with any training on how to care for Ebola patients, did not provide them with proper gear to wear until three days after Duncan was admitted, and failed to dispose of hazardous waste ”as it piled up to the ceiling. Two out of the 76 healthcare workers that took care of Duncan have already been diagnosed with Ebola, and the hospital is waing there could be others.