Posted on 07/29/2014 10:51:00 PM PDT by kristinn
The Obama administration is urging federal employees to stay home during the summit of African leaders being held in Washington, D.C. next week and to monitor local news for announcement of a possible “closing of the federal government” —ostensibly over traffic issues.
At the same time the administration said the federal government is taking no “additional precautions” to deal with the potential spread of the Ebola virus by those attending the summit.
In a twelve paragraph article on the summit of African leaders hosted by President Obama, the New York Times devotes five paragraphs to the issue of Ebola affecting the summit—an issue the Gateway Pundit has raised in several articles this week.
The Ebola death last week of Patrick Sawyer, a naturalized American citizen who was working for the government of his native Liberia raised worldwide fear as he was able to travel by passenger plane from Liberia to Nigeria with a layover in Togo on his way to an international conference without his condition being noted until he became seriously ill on approach to Lagos.
Leaders and government officials from Liberia as well as the other nations affected by Ebola—Guinea, Sierra Leone and Nigeria are expected to attend the D.C. summit.
From the Times:
“In an email to top officials at federal offices, the nation’s personnel chief urged agencies to let their workers stay at home during the event, which takes place next Tuesday and Wednesday. Traffic is also expected to be snarled on Monday and Thursday as the leaders arrive and leave.
““Agencies should consider encouraging employees who can be spared from their duties to request to adjust their work schedules,” Katherine Archuleta, the director of the Office of Personnel Management, wrote Friday in a memo.”
…”Ms. Archuleta wrote that for now the federal government would remain open Monday through Thursday next week, but she advised federal employees to monitor local news outlets for announcements about potential street closings, disruptions to public transportation or a closing of the federal government.”
…””We believe air travel continues to be safe, and the C.D.C. has stated there is no significant risk in the United States from the current Ebola outbreak,” Edward Price, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said in an email.”
…”A spokesman for the C.D.C. said procedures were already in place to stem the spread of Ebola, and flight crews and airline personnel will generally not allow a sick passenger to board a plane.
“The spokesman, Jason McDonald, said, “There are no plans or indications that we’re going to take any additional precautions with the leaders who are coming.””
The White House downplaying of the Ebola threat contradicted State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki who said Monday about the summit, “…we’re taking every precaution…”
State gatherings in our nation’s capital are highly orchestrated affairs and quite common. This event was announced by the White House in January. It is odd for the federal government to suddenly urge its employees to stay home during a normal work week and to be aware for a possible government shut down on short notice.
yeah
Nah. Look, over there Citizen, American Idol is about to start!.....
Maybe he’ll get sneezed on.
Women and minorities are strangely unaffected.
No news at 11.
I think I’m gonna stock up on some Airborne for next week and eat it like candy while driving home on 495 next week.
And thanks to all on this thread wishing “everyone” in the DC area fall victim to this disease. Real “consideration” there. < /sarc >
American Idol is about to start!.....
American Idol contestant Mbugway Mfume drops
dead in middle of performance. Judges at first
thought it part of act, describing his death
as “simply astounding”, “a great performance”,
“the bleeding from the eyes and ears was awesome”,
“the bloody projectile vomiting on the audience,
held me speechless”, “I gave him a 10, it’s too bad
he won’t be able to enter the final round”.
No further comments were available from the surviving
judges who remain in quarantine.
Generally, this is how the movies end. All of the cameramen die-—so no more filming. Ha Ha.
I read it several times and it will scare you to realize it may be about happen.
No kidding! My child is working in DC now, this is freaking sickening.
1st paragraph - has to do with Patrick Sawyer who almost made it back home to the US last week. He collapsed at Lagos airport and died shortly thereafter from Ebola. He was a naturalized American citizen living in Minnesota.
The first lady, Michelle Obama, and Laura Bush, the former first lady, will be the hosts of the African leaders’ spouses at a daylong symposium at the Kennedy Center.
For a doctor well versed in the symptoms of ebola, he wasn't very smart. Or was he? Flights from Nigeria to Lagos take 2 1/2 hours. At the end of the flight, he was so sick he collapsed at the airport. You can NOT tell me he didn't know he was infected when he boarded the flight. Was he in severe denial and that stupid or was he intentionally wanting to spread it?
Don’t go to the attic, either. And for goodness sake, don’t wear high heels while running through the woods.
Flight time from Liberia to Nigeria is 2 1/2 hours. He had to have known he was infected before he boarded. Just saying.
A few years ago, an ebola monkey lab in south Texas had a big scare that it might have gotten out.
Better yet, let them have their summit and then quarantine D.C. for the next 50 or so years.
Can they make the closure permanent?
The first lady, Michelle Obama, and Laura Bush, the former first lady, will be the hosts of the African leaders’ spouses at a daylong symposium at the Kennedy Center.
&&&
Could get interesting....
If I didn’t live next door to DC, I’d think that’s a fine idea.
Wonder how Barry will handle possibly being exposed to a deadly virus? What is the Secret Service protocol for something like this?
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