Is our government doing everything it can to ensure that the Ebola virus goes no further than Thomas Eric Duncan? He's the Liberian man who made it to Dallas last week and was diagnosed with the disease, a revelation that is freaking out a lot of Americans.Fox News Sunday's Chris Wallace brought in Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, to address those concerns with some questions - some very legitimate, and others, well....let's just say that Dr. Fauci isn't as worried as some conservatives are that an undocumented immigrant coming through the Rio Grande is going to be carrying this virus with him or her.
Wallace asked Fauci that since British Airlines has suspended all fights going to and out of the infected areas of West Africa, shouldn't U.S. airlines follow suit?
No, in my opinion absolutely not, Chris, " replied Fauci. " Because when you start closing off countries like that, there's a real danger of making things worse. You isolate them. You can cause unrest in the country. It's conceivable that governments could fall if you isolate them completely."
Here's the rest of their exchange, from the official transcript:
WALLACE: But there's another side of this. How effective is the screenings? Since these new guidelines were imposed in Liberia in July when the outbreak started, 10,000 people have flown out of the Liberia to other countries. Only two of those people have been subjected to additional screening. And they're just screened for a fever. They could have a fever from a cold, from a flu, whatever. Two of 10,000. And then I want to show you this pictures of a man, an American doctor, who came into Atlanta airport wearing a hazmat suit — I'm sure you've seen this picture with — on the back, it says "CDC is lying". He says when he arrived from Guatemala, the only questions he was asked were, are you carrying tobacco or alcohol?
FAUCI: Right.
WALLACE: And how effective is the screening over there? And how effective is it here?
FAUCI: The best way to avoid someone getting on a plane who is — has Ebola is to do the exit screening. You get your temperature taken and you get a questionnaire. Now, obviously, you're not going to be 100 percent risk-free.
WALLACE: But when you get 2 of 10,000?
FAUCI: Yes, but I'm not sure what you mean 2 of 10,000.
WALLACE: There were 10,000 people who have left Liberia and have been screened since July 26.
FAUCI: Right.
WALLACE: Only two have been subjected to additional screening.
FAUCI: Right, because they got on the plane and they were not infected — they were not symptomatic. And when you're not symptomatic, you're not going to spread it.
WALLACE: But just out of a random group of 10,000, wouldn't you think more than two would have a fever?
FAUCI: Well —
WALLACE: I'm not saying Ebola, but a fever, period.
FAUCI: Of course, they wouldn't have gotten on the plane, so, if you had fever for Ebola or any other reason. So, if you go to Monrovia airport, you arrive, and you have Malaria, and somebody gets the gun and shows you have fever, you're not getting on the plane. That's the thing that people need to understand. If you have symptoms or fever, you will not be allowed on the plane.
WALLACE: What are the chances — another question — what are the chances that illegal immigrants are going to come over our porous southern border with Ebola or the terrorists will purposely send someone here using Ebola as a bio-terror weapon?
FAUCI: OK, two plots to the question. I wouldn't be worrying about illegal immigrants coming from southern borders when we have an issue right now with Ebola in West Africa. I mean, that's a hypothetical, that's very far-fetched.
As far as terrorism, nature right now, Chris, is the worst bioterrorist. I'm worried more about the natural evolution in West African than I am about a terrorist.
WALLACE: I also suppose, if you're going to do a bio-terror weapon, Ebola isn't the most effective one.
FAUCI: That would not be — if I were a bioterrorist, that would not be my choice.
WALLACE: Because it doesn't —
FAUCI: No, it would be inefficient. Nature does it much worse than a bioterrorist.