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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 2 of 6)
Zach Jan 4th 2010 9:08PM
About freaking time. Nice move Obama!
Steve Jan 4th 2010 9:09PM
How does this decision help the United States? Is it possible to have a conference without the country getting more aids patients? When Obama has a conference on terror, do we need more Terroist in the country. The Obama
administration is all political without substance.
Carlos Jan 5th 2010 2:23AM
MORON
ron Jan 4th 2010 9:12PM
Close the doors! Mel you don't have to sleep around to catch AIDS.
Jason Jan 4th 2010 9:16PM
Those who opppose this measure seem to have the same bigoted early '80s mindset that all HIV positive people are promiscous homosexuals who want to purposely infect others with no remorse.
It has been proven that you can get HIV via blood transfusions, HIV mothers giving birth, and other methods of distribution.
Melissthoughtthis Jan 4th 2010 9:16PM
Wow, now our socialized health care can cover all foreigners with AIDS who come here. The hospitals will be chock full, too full to allow the treatment of grunt Americans who will be paying TRILLIONS of dollars for that health care. This is just frightening.
If you think that foreigners are not covered, please read the Health Care bill. Legally here or illegally here, the American workers will pay for you. This does not bode well for us.
Colleen Jan 4th 2010 10:26PM
I don't see what is so wrong with this. You can't catch HIV/AIDS from sitting on the same toilet seat, shaking hands, or anything other various activity that doesn't involve certain bodily fluids intermingling. Maybe President Obama is being more open-minded than the President from 20 years prior. We are more informed on how we contract the diseases, and how to prevent ourselves from contracting it, and that is by being safe and well-informed. This kind of ignorance is why other countries make comments. And while TB has more prevalence than previous decades, we can't always blame immigrants for bringing in the U.S. It's also us, traveling around areas of countries that still have traces of TB floating around. Read an article once in awhile, and get your facts straight.
lee Jan 5th 2010 7:16PM
you maybe need to get your facts correct you can contact aids from an hiv person from the food he or she prepares body fluids what do you think you are 10 ft. tall & bullet proof
kim Jan 4th 2010 9:30PM
This man is a nut case, another way to help america sink deeper into a 3rd world status
Ed Kubeck Jan 4th 2010 9:35PM
We need to keep the ban. It is the government's job to protect us. This lie about civil liberty has no legs. It is not a liberty to infect other people. Also, America is not about "Civil Liberty" that is just propaganda put into play by the ACLU a group who hates America and makes every effort to destroy it from within.
Pat Jan 4th 2010 9:37PM
Great, and when they die, we will pick up the hospital bills. Are there any felons or leopards he wants to invite also?
kim runkle Jan 4th 2010 9:43PM
Our country is going to shit. OBAMA needs to wake up. He is such an idiot, and soon we the people will have to get rid of him by impeachment. It is coming and soon there will be an uprising. It is coming to America and it will be here soon, we the people have had enough. In the year 2012 property taxes are going up anywhere from 800.00 to 2,000.00 I am sure to help pay for the new health reform. Since there is no money there to pay for that. Crist what is happening to our country??????????????
buddylubman@aol.com Jan 4th 2010 9:47PM
The President is being human. AIDS is only contract by intimate contact. You have nothing to worry about unless you plan on having sex with these people....and the sex would have to be UNSAFE SEX>. so my dear un-informed friends...if you practice safe sex, you will not get aids.... I am not sure, but once HIV positive people are under treatment... You are very unlikely to catch it even if you dont practice safe sex.. but you should ALWAYS PRACTICE SAFE SEX...SO STOP BEING AN IDIOT.....STOP PANICING... AND STOP BAD MOUTHING OUR PRESIDENT..
mitch Jan 4th 2010 9:58PM
Still another way to achieve global wealth redistribution.
Merrily Jan 4th 2010 10:01PM
Wow, I come here daily just to find the idiots who read articles and make negative/idiotic comments. There are sure a lot of them here today. Amazing. The Internet has become a place to defacate insanity.
melissa Jan 4th 2010 10:05PM
Just in time to get free Obama care on the taxpaying citizens.
TB IS back, I work in a hosptial, I see first hand all of the TB cases and they are always always foreigners who just arrived to the US.
J Sim Jan 5th 2010 9:25AM
President George W. Bush signed this into law in July of 2008. This has nothing to do with Obama. He just signed off on it after reviewing what W Bush enacted into law. That is what is making news. Look it up before you freak out.
Anne Feb 25th 2010 4:06AM
So you obviously think that this is a bad idea since you already palmed off responsibility to Bush than to obama. Typical obama fashion claiming that he inherited disaster. If he was not up to the task he should have let someone else take responsibility.
nobamano Jan 4th 2010 10:11PM
Well you OB supporters say TB is what we need to worry about..HMMM guess you missed the report of the rare case of antibiotic resistant strain of TB that came in resently.Which is usualy found on uuum AIDS victims. I do not believe good people who have AIDs are a danger. I feel good hearted people that are not filled with hate. Should have more freedoms then those that dont. But looking into someones eye.can you tell the difference??? Allowing people into this country that were once bared in the times we are in now. Is idiotic. I am not worried about good inocent AIDs Victims.I am worried about the A$$ ole ones. The bitter ones. The ones that do not paticuarly like people nor respect the USA.
Marc Jan 4th 2010 10:13PM
I have a better idea. How about whether you have AIDS or not, if you have no visa....get out!