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U.S. lifts ban on travelers with HIV or AIDS
For the past 22 years, if you had HIV or AIDS and weren't American, you couldn't enter the U.S.That changed today as President Obama lifted the ban. Since the Obama administration is planning to host the 2012 World Aids Conference, the change in policy was necessary.
The biannual conference naturally includes many people living with HIV and AIDS, and barring their entry would have been bad PR for an administration that wants to be seen as a global leader in the fight against the disease
There are only ten countries that now ban people with HIV/AIDS from entering. They are: Brunei, China. Equatorial Guinea, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Russia, Singapore, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
According to the website hivtravel.org, some of these countries allow people to enter under "special circumstances". Some other countries not on the list put restrictions on people living with HIV/AIDS but not full bans.
Filed under: North America, Equatorial Guinea, Brunei, China, South Korea, Qatar, Russian Federation, Singapore, United Arab, Yemen, United States, Papua New Guinea, Travel Health
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Benjamin Wagner Jan 4th 2010 1:15PM
South Korea lifted its ban on travelers with HIV or Aids on the same day as the U.S.
Update your story:
http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Resources/FeatureStories/archive/2010/20100104_travelrestrictions.asp
Benjamin Wagner
Sean McLachlan Jan 4th 2010 1:15PM
Thanks for the tip! Hivtravel.org needs to update too!
Nick Jan 4th 2010 1:27PM
Never knew such a ban existed in the US in the first place. Talk about being a world leader in civil liberties and democracy. Ha!
Luke Skywalker Jan 4th 2010 8:17PM
What in the world is wrong with this president?!?!?!?!??!?!?! That idea is just insane and preposterous! He is putting all of our lives at risk and he doesn't care an ounce because he gets to travel using our tax dollars to travel on his own private plane to take his wife out to dinner! Obama voters....what were you thinking when you voted this man into office? Where you in the right state of mind at that point? Just curious........but come on really?
Stew Jan 4th 2010 9:49PM
HIV/AIDS is not highly contagious as TB can be and we (America) would not know if someone entering the country had HIV/AIDS unless they had a sign on their chest saying "Hey I've got AIDS, let me in" Also, there is a small incubation window in which you could have the disease and not show positive if tested. So I'm not even sure if the current ban really had much merit other than individuals that already have full blown AIDS and were serial rapists or something.
Secondly, the comment about President Obama taking vacations and going to dinner with the first lady - not sure how that tied in with the HIV/AIDS ban being lifted. Not to mention I believe Bush Jr. holds the record for the most vacation taken...approximately 900 days if the internet sites are correct. That's over a year off per term.
Time2growup Jan 4th 2010 10:39PM
ARE YOU STUPID LUKE SKYWALKER (and others)? You're complaining about nothing like a promqueen on her period! Unless you plan on drinking a bucket full of an HIV/AIDS person's blood, semon, or spit in between bags of airline peanuts then it doesnt concern you. Obama sees that it is a rediculous law that paranoid ingnorant bigwigs thought of years ago. These days there is more technology and luckily smarter people than you that know better. Who would you have preffered? McCain?If that had happened we'd be in WWIII right now. I'm sick and tired of people thinking that Obama has to have everything FIXED in the first year. No one can please everyone, especially the 40 something star war bloggers that cant even spare '2 cents'.
tony Jan 5th 2010 12:19AM
LUKE SKYWALKER
Jan 4th 2010 8:17PM
What in the world is wrong with this president?!?!?!?!??!?!?! That idea is just insane and preposterous! He is putting all of our lives at risk and he doesn't care an ounce because he gets to travel using our tax dollars to travel on his own private plane to take his wife out to dinner! Obama voters....what were you thinking when you voted this man into office? Where you in the right state of mind at that point? Just curious........but come on really?
___________________________
Regarding your "because he gets to travel using our tax dollars" comment.
So do you mean to tell me that previous presidents didn't travel? Are you telling me that previous presidents didn't eat dinner? If so, what did they eat? What did their wives eat? Can you prove that all previous presidents didn't use tax payer money to do what you claim our current president does?
Jeff Garza Jan 5th 2010 3:34AM
um I think we should all take responsibility for our own actions. The people coming from other countries with HIV or AIDS aren't anymore a threat to our heath than the people Living with HIV/AIDS in America. It's our own responsibility to use protection durring sexual activity to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS to others not our presidents. Get it right.
Vic Jan 4th 2010 10:09PM
Absolutely horrible. What a complete lack of common sense and caring. This guy is a truly dangerous idiot. Better get ready to pray for your kids. WOW>
jeff Garza Jan 5th 2010 3:37AM
It's our own responsibility to use protection during sexual activity to help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. Not the presidents, further more, People coming into our country from other countries who are invected with HIV/AIDS aren't any more of a threat than the people already living here with HIV/AIDS. Be responsible and protect yourself and there shouldn't be an issue.
Robert Jan 4th 2010 8:48PM
Nick, there is or should be a ban on anybody coming here with a contagious disease to protect Americans. Tuberculoisis is making a comeback in this country after being irradicated, due to those coming here from overseas.
lloyd klefstad Jan 4th 2010 9:02PM
TB and AIDS are two completely different diseases! People with AIDS travel to the U.S. for treatment. Our medical system is second to none in the world...in case you were unaware.
Nick Jan 4th 2010 9:11PM
Wow, Robert, your misinformed and misdirected paranoia amazes me!! Do you mean to say that we Americans are ourselves free of all vices and that it is the immigrants who are responsible for all our illnesses? Are you implying that sealing our borders and allowing no one to come in will lead to a totally disease-free US? Are you even aware of the extent to which rampant drug use and sexual promiscuity among us Americans is aiding the spread of HIV/AIDS and other transmissible diseases? In exchange, will you support a complete ban on entry of Americans in all other countries??
Mel Jan 4th 2010 8:52PM
Luke,
How is this going to put your life at risk? Are you assuming that all people with HIV or AIDS go around sleeping with everyone? As long as you aren't promiscuous you'll be fine. It isn't the plague, you don't catch it from day-to-day contact.
Anne Jan 5th 2010 4:41AM
Mel, promiscuous sex is not the only way you can come into contact with Aids or HIV.
Sometimes people have accidents in the work place or any other place and if no one is aware that the person is infected and has come into contact with their blood that may be dangerous. Accidental infection during a careless action in medical facilities has been known to happen. Now imagine more incidents occuring when our medical facilities become overcrowded with these new infected people coming into our country and into our ER facilities? Drug addicts who share needles also are a danger. Do you know what the real face of a drug addict looks like? Perhaps the typical raggedy unclean person on the street? or maybe the clean shaven guy in the suit with a dark secret? Rape is also another way people can become infected, is that promiscuity to you?
aj Jan 4th 2010 9:09PM
yeah !
A medical blunder!
History will ask you Mr. President----Obama!
Why you let HIV spread through out the world.
Please don't do this medical blunder and a unforgivable mistake on behalf of Human race.
JamRocPrincess Jan 4th 2010 8:55PM
You guys that blog all this negativity is very ignorant. One of you said he is putting all your lives at risk...And how is he doing that??? In this country you people have an AIDS epidemic also, people using drugs and are positive and people infecting other people spitfully. While on the other hand you people can travel anywhere you want. Hes not a puppet, hes doing something good to prove to people in the world that some americans actually have a heart.
And the other problem is you people talking about him and his family going on vacation...whats wrong with him going to Hawaii????? Nothing. Bush use to go to his ranch all the time and I guess thats not a problem with you people..when your racist prez bush sent your family to war and got them killed, according to you all, its patriotic. This man who had nothing to do with the war and the economy is being blamed for the decisions you Republicans did by keeping him in office. Again learn your facts before you make a complete ass out of yourself.
spiritriising Jan 4th 2010 10:40PM
Apparently you are not American for if you were, you would know that the phrase, "you people" is a prejudice and racist way of referring to anyone. Perhaps you should have learned your facts before you made an ass of yourself
Anne Jan 5th 2010 4:56AM
Wow you have just parroted just about every phrase ever made by liberal half wits and in the typical style of all rhetoric and opinion without the slightest hint of fact. Always the Ass talking of ears.
Robert Jan 4th 2010 9:39PM
US citizens letter to President Obama...
Dear sir, we are a little short on AIDS in this country. The people of this country and I were wondering if there was anyway we could spread the worlds carriers of AIDS around a little better. We don't think it's fair that third world countries are the exclusive importers of AIDS. With that, we have a proposal for you. We think the US should step up and be a main importer of AIDS. We should embrace AIDS and all it can offer to the citizens and I. This would be a super cool way for you to spread such a wonderful disease around. Awesome idea eh? See, once the US becomes an AIDS super power, we can then become the main exporter of this lovely virus and the rest of the world will see how "diverse" and "open minded" we can be. Please consider this...modest proposal.
Thank you,
The bewildered herd
P.S...I am so looking forward to AIDS. It's like Christmas all over again!