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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 4 of 6)
Lauraj Jan 4th 2010 11:29PM
Gee right on time for the crap healthcare bill too! Just what we need, some more freeloaders! Just what is he trying to do? Something tells me he will have to show his hand soon...this is getting rediculous!
vic Jan 4th 2010 11:40PM
See ya Mr. Obama. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice we wont be fooled again... (Who remembers the good old days?) I guess Dubya knew what he was saying after all...
Vic Jan 4th 2010 11:44PM
Yes MELANI- Yes. They are..., Thats the point. You are truly ignorant. You cant fathom the danger as evidently you have not seen it up close. I have. How about 9/11- Did that happen Melani. YES to what you ask, a resounding YES!!
Vic Jan 4th 2010 11:46PM
Also, the point is, this can do no good. No tangible good at all! Only bad. Complete perception. This man makes me puke.
Ceilingwalker Jan 4th 2010 11:53PM
Everyone that supports the president's decision on this, remember you said it was ok, now. How about when you're in a situation that requires a blood transfusion and we have now increased the odds of you receiving HIV infected blood? Anyone that believes that HIV in ALL stages can be accurately tested by ALL donors, if it makes you feel comfortable, keep believing it and have a nice day.
Alu Jan 5th 2010 12:00AM
Where the hell did some of you people get your intelligence... a cracker jack box?
You can only get aids or hiv from sharing a needle with someone who has either disease, their blood enters your blood stream, or you have unprotected sex with that person.
Aids and HIV is not an air born disease like H1N1 or the regular flu. To think that in the 30 odd or more years since the diseases have become a global problem that people would actually educate themselves.
Saying you can get Aids by using the same toilet seat as a person with aids is as ridiculas as saying you can get a fractured tooth by sharing a glass of water with a friend.
Honestly.
Vic Jan 5th 2010 12:02AM
Very Very good point Ceilingwalker. I didnt even think of this! You are correct. These supporters truly need to get out of poitics and into the real world. Obviously they have been protected.
Vic Jan 5th 2010 12:04AM
To ALU- Have you even READ anything we have written. You are a real moron. Try reading what we wrote and not what you want to see. Cmon and get with the program.
dee Jan 5th 2010 12:11AM
So many ignorant Americans...I applaud President Obama for lifting such an absurd ban. PEOPLE please read and inform yourselves on present issues you might learn something.
Vic Jan 5th 2010 12:17AM
OMG- Dee how can you call others ignorant? I understand the disease as I work in this field. Let me tell you, with varying window periods the blood supply is not safe. How can you be so ignorant as to "applaud" stupidity? YOU DONT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. WOW. Holy Pot callig the Kettle Black. Go read up and YOU GET EDUCATED. THIS DOES NOT SERVE ANY GOOD PURPOSE! NONE!!!!!!!
Tony Jan 5th 2010 12:23AM
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 to travel" comment, do you mean to tell me that no previous presidents in the past ever traveled? If no, can you prove that previous presidents used their own money rather than tax payer's money? Regarding your "dinner" comment, do you mean to tell me that no president has ever eaten dinner? Can you prove previous presidents used their own money to pay for their own dinner?
Cliff Jan 5th 2010 12:30AM
Won't individuals with HIV/AIDS travel to the United States from third world or repressive nations, and then request asylum based on their condition and discrimination in their native country? If so, who will end up paying for their medical treatment here? I believe each HIV/AIDs patient could then run up a medical bill over $1,000,000. I'm sympathic, but don't want to pay for their expensive care in the US.
thebetterjeweler Jan 5th 2010 12:49AM
bravo cliff you are so right,
Diedrie Jan 5th 2010 12:34AM
Lets make one thing clear im not making an ass out of myself, I have my facts and their correct. You have a problem because I use the phrase "you people", its not used to be disrespectful its just a segregation for "you" ignorant people...And my status has nothing to do with what I said pertaining to the subject matter, but thanks for pointing it out for me.
thebetterjeweler Jan 5th 2010 12:45AM
Thank you president Obama for giving me another reason to regret giving you my vote,yes we have drug users here yes Americans practice unsafe sex even though we have government led campaigns to educate us how to avoid contracting or spreading aids, the numbers are higher in minority communities,those with lower levels of education and lower income brackets, the majority of people traveling here are seeking citizenship,once in the community what will keep them from further spreading the disease,wonderful another weapon terrorists can use (my life is over lets see how many americans I can infect) we are no longer the land of opportunity I dont want your hungry,your tired or your huddled masses,we can no longer take care of the ones we already have,our children are uneducated,our seniors arent cared for,where are the jobs? I have compassion but is now the time to open our arms to people that have a deadly illness that is costly to treat, bottom line close the borders let us recover befor we allow a further drain on our system
ontheleftcoast Jan 5th 2010 12:58AM
WOW--the negative reaction to a simple civil liberties issue is truly amazing. Very few if any with Hiv are going to be coming here seeking medical treatment (and I do not think American taxpayers should pay foreigners medical bills anyway, but that is an entirely different issue), unless you have sex with them, you won't get Hiv infection from them, so why criticize a simple civil liberties issue that never should have been put in place anyway?
That is not a conservative issue, it is not a liberal issue, it is a United States justice issue.
Ignorance and fear are truly scary states of mind.
sailgirl Jan 5th 2010 1:22AM
So lets just provide health care to the whole world! I'm sure the middle income family that is already taxed at the highest percentage rate of income will surely want to give up their limited insurance coverage for their own families so they can provide for the influx of illegal immigrants who want to be treated in the US. Yes, lets open the our borders to every HIV/AIDS infected persons in the world since we know how how well they will: 1.) treat this nation and 2.) contribute to society (NOT). What is this president thinking??? He is single handedly throwing this country away. When was the last time anyone was asked," Do you want the World Aids Conference to be held in the U.S.?"The answer is a resounding,"NO!" In Obama's world, an immigrant only need make one visit to the emergency room to become an instant citizen with health care benefits, subsidized housing, food stamps, drivers license and other creature comfort they won't have to work for. The scary thing is that it is becoming Obama's world. Get this guy out of office before there is nothing left. One last parting word, since Obama has set dangerous terrorist free there have been several terrorist cell attacks on our homeland. Believe me, he doesn't care about your or my safety and/or well being.
thebetterjeweler Jan 5th 2010 1:08AM
get your facts straight there is always a chance that our blood supply can become infected,also in my state we have a colonoscopy center that reused disposable equiptment and infected several hundred patients with aids and hep so please explain to these people who kept it in thier pants or wrapped it up as you so eloquintly phrased it how they became infected, the fewer people walking around with the disease the less of a chance of spreading it, also who is going to pay for the medical care they will need, lets see who is paying for all the uneducated high school drop outs medical care, or the unwed mothers who insist on populating the earth with dim witts that they can not afford to educate, feed or clothe,me thats who pays along with my fellow tax payers, so please further burden us
j Jan 5th 2010 1:10AM
Just another step in Obama's agenda to tear apart our Great County... one step at a time, one takeover at a time, one virus at a time... destroying the fabric of America and all that it once stood for... little by little, serving Kool-Aid to the weary as they follow into the chamber of elimination. GOD HELP US ALL !
Andy Jan 5th 2010 1:12AM
Obama is here to destroy America, he is a Muslim, Obama Huessin is no different than a terrorist, he is on a mission to destroy economic, morally, patitrotly, and laughing at the American and American forefathers interlect.