Corrine Brown Opposes Travel Ban on Ebola-Impacted Nations

Even as fellow Florida Democrats like U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson break with the White House and demand a travel ban on African nations impacted by Ebola, U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown says she opposes the idea.

Although I support strong measures to prevent the spread of Ebola, including additional screening at airports, I do not believe that a travel ban would make the citizens of the United States any more secure, Brown said on Thursday night. In fact, according to several global health organizations, more travel restrictions are not going to make the world safer when it comes to Ebola; instead, they might make the situation worse

Additionally, flight restrictions will only make it more difficult for lifesaving aid and medical professionals to reach West Africa, Brown added. Any discontinuation of transport will affect humanitarian aid, doctors, nurses, and human resources entering the affected countries. And according to the global health researchers who have modeled the risk of the international spread of Ebola, it is clear that the longer the outbreak goes on and the bigger it is, the more likely Ebola is going to spread beyond West Africa to the rest of the world and the United States. Certainly, the best way to prevent Ebola from spreading to the U.S. is to eradicate it in the afflicted West African countries. Beyond a doubt, it is imperative to prepare hospitals and providers to treat any cases in the U.S., as well as adequately funding our nations public health agencies.

Brown insisted current safeguards are enough, despite a Liberian national infected with Ebola flying from Africa to Dallas.

Travelers from the affected countries are already subjected to screening prior to departure from West Africa, Brown said. "They are also subjected to additional, enhanced screening upon arrival in the United States. Certainly, imposing a ban would give travelers an incentive to evade detection or conceal their travel history, which would make it even harder to ensure they are properly screened before entering the United States.

The First Coast Democrat said the Ebola scare showed how much America needed a surgeon general and hit Republicans for blocking the Obama administrations nominee to that position.

One other contributing difficulty is that the United States is currently without a surgeon general, since the former surgeon general departed in July 2013, Brown noted. Certainly, it is vital that the American people have a surgeon general to educate them about the disease and how to best protect their health. The surgeon general is Americas doctor, and the trusted medical spokesperson who can reassure the American public about the risk of exposure, and what precautions and protocols are being enacted to protect them. However, this position has been vacant for over one year and attempts to confirm Dr. Vivek Murthy have been blocked by Republicans since he was nominated in November 2013.