But it would dramatically reduce the potential vectors. Flawed reasoning.
No, banning direct flights would not reduce infected individuals coming into the country. The potentially infected would just take a connecting flight, just like anyone else. You would have to block all flights out of Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia.
Flawed reasoning?
Suppose I’m in Liberia. I want to travel to the United States.
I get on Travelocity (or what ever travel site).
Starting Location: Monrovia, Liberia
Ending Location: Dallas, Texas
It will then give me an itinerary. Aw bummer. No direct flights. But there are lots of flights that connect through Brussels / Paris / London /Cairo. I’ll take that one that goes through Brussels.
If the United States stops direct flights to Liberia, travelers will simply have to choose a one-stop flight rather than a non-stop flight.
The only people that will be stopped from entering the United States by blocking all direct flights from the Hot Zone to America are those who will only fly on a non-stop flight.
That would be virtually NOBODY.