The Ebola Effect Arrives: Half Of Americans Will Avoid International Air Travel Out Of Ebola Fears

Zero Hedge ^ | 10/16/2014 | Tyler Durden

[SeekAndFind]

Remember when Obama said "Putin was isolated", despite the Russian having the explicit support of the BRIC nations, and thus at least half of the world's population? Well, as irony would always have it with this particular US president, the tables have promptly turned, and paradoxically where ISIS failed to "terrorize" Americans into a state of paralyzed daze, the West African virus has succeeded in isolating none other than America, and as a brand new Reuters poll reveals, nearly half of Americans are so concerned about the Ebola outbreak that they are avoiding international air travel!

In other words, global trade, commerce and simply transit, already declining thanks to the global depression rematerializing now that the Fed's latest placebo round has worn off, are about to slam into a brick wall.

The poll results come as health officials said the second nurse infected at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas had flown from Ohio to Texas with a slight fever the day before she was diagnosed.

 

The Reuters/Ipsos poll, which surveyed 1,577 Americans 18 or older online, found nearly 80 percent were concerned about the Ebola outbreak, with 41 percent saying they were "very concerned" and 36 percent "somewhat concerned."

And while the one thing that is certain to provoke an even greater popular panic at the invisible terror, is at least one more Ebola case developing on US soil, the whistleblowing admission by another nurse at Texas Health Presbyterian will hardly boost America's confidence in the way the Ebola crisis is being handled.

NBC Chicago reports that a Dallas nurse who cared for a co-worker who contracted the Ebola virus at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital said the facility was unprepared

[Trteamer]

Frontier airlines has brought the “Ebola” plane to Denver for decontamination. People are not amused around here.

[vette6387]

“Of course, if air travel decreases you just know that TSA is going to start laying off. /s/”

And that would be a good thing. We have not flown for almost two years, and I have over a half a million miles worth of “milage” that are the leftovers from a career that involved substantial international air travel. I used to absolutely love to get on a plane and go somewhere. Between the TSA, terrorism, and shi-ty service, the magnetism is all gone.

[dragnet2]

This will impact everything, not just International travel...

Domestic travel will nose dive into the ground, travel agents, ground transportation, tourist destinations, hotels, hospitals, rental car industry and on and on and on....

You’d have to be stupid to get on a commercial aircraft today, here or abroad.

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

Can you imagine how this country would completely shut down if we had Ebola cases showing up out of nowhere in a few major cities? That's the real danger in all this, people who get this virus who have no idea how they got it. That happens, all bets are off. Ebola is here to stay, it will be a different world then.

[Veto!]

Friends of mine are in Europe, they have to come home in another couple of weeks. We’ve talked about getting masks, wipes, and rubbing alcohol, the 90% alcohol kind that kills viruses. Wear clothes on flights that you were going to throw out anyway and toss them. Especially things like cheap raincoats. Scarves, gloves, other disposable protective gear. Fly during nonrush hours. Look around the cabin before takeoff and if you don’t like the looks of other passengers, get off immediately.

Have fun.

[Inyo-Mono]

Between the TSA, terrorism, and shi-ty service, the magnetism is all gone.

Exactly why the wife and I haven't flown since 2005. If we can't drive there, we're not going.

[wrench]

They need to run it through overhaul and burn the entire contents of the fuselage. Used to be called a “D” check, but now, with the progressive maintenance program, not sure what they call “overhaul” these days.

[who knows what evil?]

The holiday travel season will certainly be interesting this year...

[meadsjn]

... until this thing is done.

That could be a very long time. Previous outbreaks would burn themselves out in 4-6 months, given some reasonable adult leadership, and common sense containment. This one is different in several ways.

Outbreaks Chronology: Ebola Virus Disease

The worst difference is that we don't currently have any such adult leadership, and insanity rules the day.

Incompetence or malice; stupid or evil? And does it really matter?

[catnipman]

Speaking of the Ebola Effect, both Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp announced yesterday they’re refusing to take blood samples from anyone suspected of Ebola. They can’t risk contaminating tens of millions worth of test equipment or exposed their lab personnel to such danger.

[nascarnation]

I suggest if you’re correct, you need to buy puts on airline stocks and become the next version of the Koch Bros.

Having said that, airline stocks have done ok the last couple days. I think the plunge in oil prices (their big cost driver) is offsetting some of the Obola hysteria.

[varina davis]

Can’t imagine that the cruise ship industry will fare very well either. The couple 100 employees on board every ship come from all over the world. Who knows how well they are vetted. I usually cruise once a year, but not this year!

[depenzz]

Yeah, Obama feels its ok if our air lines take a bath but he wants to protect the economy of the African countrys by not shutting down air travel from there.

[petercooper]

Just book a charter like the CDC told Nurse 2 to do.

[tet68]

I was an aircraft mech in my youth but it isn’t fun any more
so you would have to DRAG and GAG me to board a plane now.
If I can’t drive, I ain’t going.

[petercooper]

And they will go under. No sane person is going to fly anywhere if it’s not absolutely necessary.

[berdie]

I haven’t flown since pre-9/11. It wasn’t even a pleasurable experience then.

The days of flying being “fun” are gone forever, I fear. Like you I used to love it.

For all the reasons you mentioned plus...the planes seem to have maintenance problems. Maybe not “crash worthy” problems...but just as scary.

[DoughtyOne]

I wonder if it's the same half that avoids travel because of our Homeland Security's abysmal actions in our nation's airports?


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[Sooth2222]

"We need some assurances, now!"

From whom?

It doesn't matter what this administration says -- it isn't likely that it will be believed.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

"The surface of the Ebola virus is covered with glycoprotein (GP) [joined together proteins that contain a carbohydrate as the nonprotein component], which binds host cells, allowing the virus to enter. Ebola is an RNA-based virus, which means its genetic information is stored in RNA, not DNA. Thus, it has to use a special enzyme (an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase [enzymes that catalyze the formation of polynucleotides of DNA or RNA using an existing strand of DNA or RNA as a template])".

I believe that two forms are created. One to distract and occupy the immune system while the other does the dirty work.

source

The description of the glycoprotein intrigued me because I have read of the harm that glycation does. Glycation is not the same as glycosylation. Glycation is

• the haphazard bonding of
  • glucose molecules,
  • sugars, and
  • similar chemicals
• with
  • proteins,
  • polynucleotides, and
  • lipids.

Bonding with yet other protein molecules can occur leading to advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs). There the immune system regards these glycated proteins as foreign and develops antibodies against them and can result in a defective immune system directing antibodies against the host's own tissues. It is thought to be the cause of autoimmune disorders.

The point is: the ebola virus is bad but like all others operates within the confines of biochemistry. It will be defeated. But in the meantime . . . .

(We put men on the Moon in relative short order. We can defeat Ebola and other hemorrhagic diseases.)