Think snakes on a plane would be scary?

Airplane passenger had highly resistant strain of TB

The movie Snakes On A Plane was campy and fun, and not at all scary.  But this IS scary: Microbes on a plane.  Epidemiologist Tara Smith (who would fit right in on CSI or Numb3rs)  describes the situation as a passenger was found to be infected with a highly resistant strain of tuberculosis.

)Deep Breath( ... OK, calming down, the passengers were notified, and they’re getting tested.  It appears their risk of infection is “low”.  It’s still going to be a while before I get on a plane without thinking about this one. 

  • There is some reassurance as Effect Measure gets technical on airplane epidemiology.
  • Mike Dunford at Questionable Authority takes apart the passenger’s “side of the story” in Thou shalt not be bloody stupid
  • Oh, NOW he says he’s “sorry”.  “At every turn it was conveyed to me that my family, my wife, my daughter, that no-one was at risk”  Well sure, but the doctors and authorities told you not to travel, idiot.
  • And if you really want to research this case from every angle, The Pump Handle has a large section on it in their Friday roundup.
  • Seen on TV news: the guy shows up at the US border.  The border guard scans his passport and the screen pops up: “Don’t let this person in, and only deal with him while wearing hazard gear”.  Border guard looks him over; “He appeared to be perfectly healthy to me”, and lets him enter the country unchallenged.  Reminds me of a scene from The Simpsons: Bob: [running a credit check] [presses `Enter’] [sirens wail and lights flash] Homer: Is that a good siren? Am I approved? Bob: You ever known a siren to be good? That was the computer telling me, sell the vehicle to this fellow and you’re out of business.’’
Posted by George on 05/30/07 at 09:19 AM
Science & Technology • Safety & Health •

  1. Was it necessary to write about this 1 week before I hop on a jet angry ?

    Posted by webs05  on  05/30/07  at  11:17 AM

  2. I am not really surprised, being self centered and thinking that the only thing that is important is self gratification seems to be the norm now days.

    Posted by james old guy  on  05/31/07  at  06:41 AM

  3. What was that book of a few years ago, The Hot Zone? Remember the first chapter, where the passenger bled out from ebola while flying? Yeah. And I’m flying out in 2 weeks.

    Posted by Bruce Boeck  on  06/04/07  at  01:40 PM

Post a comment...

Name - What should we call you? Please use the same name every time.

Email: (won't show)

Location: (optional, but adds context)

Got a website or blog? Want us to know about it? Put 'er here:

Smileys

Remember my personal information

Notify me of follow-up comments?


Type in below, the word you see above:

Next entry: Change in commenting

Previous entry: Really serious accountability in China

<< Back to main