another TB case on international flight!

[Goldiegirl]

Yet another person who knew they had drug resistant tuberculosis took an international flight and exposed 44 people (that's the assumption of how many sat within so many feet of the sick person). I fly on long, international flights at least every 2 to 3 months. I am always concerned about the health of the other passengers. On one flight from Narita to Newark there was a older man waiting to board the plane and he was sweating and coughing. The ticket attendant came over and asked if he was well enough to fly. He said yes he just needed to rest. I think he should have been made to see a doctor before boarding. I wanted to say that, but I didn't. I felt that if I said something, I might be taken as a disruptive flier. I feel like we can't complain because airline employees have so much power. I have come down with influenza twice while in Japan and the doctor there said I caught it on the flight over. I get so frustrated that people who are sick risk my health and the health of all the passengers. If you are sick DON'T FLY! If you know you have tuberculosis, DON'T FLY. Why do people think that it's ok to fly when ill. Have you ever been on a flight with a person who you thought was too ill to be flying? I carry hand sanitizer with me and spray disinfectant too. They now sell them in carry on size of less the 4 ounces so you can get them through security.

[Derfel]

Originally Posted by Goldiegirl

Why do people think that it's ok to fly when ill.

Why do you think that people like that actually think?
Its right because they don't think.

[Goldiegirl]

It really concerns me that people fly who know they have contagious diseases. To me they should be treated as criminals. It's one thing to not know you have a contagious illness, but if you know and travel you should be found guilty of at least assault or something of the like. I think all the people they could have potentially infected should have the right to sue the person. I am amazed that more people aren't concerned.

[Derfel]

Thats probably impossible, but bastards like that should be thrown out of the plane. That would solve such issues. The number of these morons would decline after a single case.

[Goldiegirl]

I guess I am really upset, because I've been sick since my last flight and have a rare infection in my lungs. The doctors here think I picked it up during my travels. It's scary because I am on all these drugs and steroids, inhalers and it's frightening. My doctor has finally gotten me on the road to recovery but it has been a long and expensive one. I do worry about the bird flu becoming contagious from human to human. It's happening now, they think some cases are from person to person contact. That is so scary!

[Derfel]

Some people don't have a trace of brains. Many think they're damn immortal MacLeods from Highlander and they're not threatened by anything like those. So they happily get infected and do what they have planned brainlessly cause they can't bloody believe that what they have is ain't just some cold.
All the human rights and crap don't lead us anywhere, there should be less debate and more public executions of dumb people, idiocy after all should be punished.

[kairu]

I guess it would be too hard to enforce some kind of proof-of-good-health regulation for flying.

It scares me. I try to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but I catch everything. TB; Avian Flu; If I came into contact with either of those... I don't even want to think about it >.<

Still, even though it's idiotic, I can see why people do fly when they're sick, if they need to get somewhere, the tickets can't be refunded, and they're in a bind. I almost had to make that type of decision when I flew to London, but (a) I got over what I had a few days before it came time to fly and (b) I think chicken pox might've been a little more obvious . (There is probably a 1% chance I would have actually flown, so don't beat me up, haha).

In situations like that, though, maybe the airline should offer a free exchange of tickets (for a later flight) in order to promote HEALTHY flying. Or do they do that already?

[Derfel]

Thats not the same, tuberculosis is damn hardcore. Takes a long while to cure. Its not just some cold. The army for example immediately releases people with tbc, they get sent to either hospital or home upon diagnose.

[kairu]

I know it isn't the same, but it's still contagious, and if one were to walk onto a plane covered in red bumps, more people would freak out than they would if another passenger were displaying symptoms of tuberculosis (and those around him/her didn't know it was tb).

[justin]

People who fly sick should be shot out of a cannon. With any luck they might land where they need to be. I mean, come on put on a medical mask or something.

[made of stone]

Can't chicken pox have terrible effects on unborn children??

[Goldiegirl]

Chicken pox is deadly to the elderly. The older you are before you get them the harder it is on you. You should NEVER go out with chicken pox until you are no longer contagious; To do otherwise is shameful and deadly behaviour!

[made of stone]

Originally Posted by Goldiegirl

Chicken pox is deadly to the elderly. The older you are before you get them the harder it is on you.

That got me thinking, and I've been through the info on the British National Health Service site (nhsdirect) about chickenpox.

It doesn't stress any particular concern for the elderly, but rather for any adult with a compromised immune system (e.g. anyone who's recently undergone chemotherapy, those with hiv etc) - of course the elderly may not have such a robust immune system as a young adult.

It does talk about pregnant women who are not immune coming into contact with the virus. Perhaps not to scare anyone, the site doesn't list possible effects on an unborn child, but if the Wikipedia page is to be believed, they can include very serious brain, eye, and neurological effects.

Originally Posted by Goldiegirl

You should NEVER go out with chicken pox until you are no longer contagious; To do otherwise is shameful and deadly behaviour!

I completely agree with the first part, and the second also if the person is aware of possible danger to others but ignores it. If they're unaware then I think I'd best describe them as extremely inconsiderate for not finding out.

It seems kairu was well past the infectious stage when he flew.

Anyway, here's what nhsdirect has to say about flying with the 'pox (original link here):

'If your child has chickenpox, they may not be allowed to fly during the infectious stage (two days before the rash appears until roughly five days after). This is because the air conditioning systems in aeroplane cabins allow germs to circulate easily, and the chickenpox infection can be very dangerous for people with AIDS, a lowered immune system, and pregnant women.
Your child should be safe to fly once they are past the infectious stage and the blisters have crusted over, but it is best to check your airline policy first.
You should inform the airline as soon as you have sought medical advice and had the illness diagnosed. It is also important to let your insurer know, to make sure that you will be covered if you have to delay or cancel your holiday, or if you need to extend your stay until your child is well enough to fly home.'

[kairu]

Chicken pox is deadly to the elderly. The older you are before you get them the harder it is on you.

I actually thought that, too, and was going to mention it in one of my responses, but then I looked up shingles on google really quickly (shingles being the result of the chickenpox virus in the elderly and people who are HIV positive, etc), and I found this website:

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/s...s/shingles.htm

A person with a shingles rash can pass the virus to someone, usually a child, who has never had chickenpox, but the child will develop chickenpox, not shingles. A person with chickenpox cannot communicate shingles to someone else. Shingles comes from the virus hiding inside the person's body, not from an outside source.

So when people with a weaker immune system get it, it can be deadly, but it originates inside the body, from the dormant chickenpox virus from the illness they had previously. I should have known this considering my mom had shingles three years ago, but anyway: someone with chicken pox cannot give someone shingles, which is the disease people need to worry about.

So... trying to tie this back into the original topic..... TB on a plane would be worse! Haha.

[made of stone]

Shingles occurs in people who have had the virus before (i.e. they are immune to the chickenpox virus already - it exists in their body and lies dormant inside them and then causes shingles later.)

If someone hasn't had chickenpox already, then they can catch chickenpox from someone who has either chickenpox or shingles, I believe.

someone with chicken pox cannot give someone shingles, which is the disease people need to worry about.

No - chickenpox is very dangerous for people with weak immune systems.

[kairu]

No - chickenpox is very dangerous for people with weak immune systems.

Only if they've never had it. And there is a vaccine for it now (even though I think follow-up vaccinations might be required every few years).

[akita]

I think most of the people don't fly deliberately knowing they are very sick. Usually they are in a hurry they have some symptoms but don't realize what really is and usually think is just a small cold. I meet a lot of people that don't know a thing about symptoms and go to doctor when things are really bad or it is clear that they have a certain sickness.

[Goldiegirl]

The last two people who had TB KNEW they had TB before they flew. Both have/had drug resistant TB as well. For the people who don't know they are sick because they DO NOT have symptoms, of course they are innocent. For those who travel WITH symptoms they are to me acting in a criminal way. So you have the flu and think I can't miss my flight because I didn't get a refundable ticket, so I am going to fly, but the person sitting next to you has a compromised immune system and now you infected them....Sorry but no matter what your ticket cost you it is not as valuable as the persons health and life that has to sit next to you!

[__shrink]

I think most people are ignorant, and don't really care the health of others but their wants. Regarding to chicken pox, a person at work had them. But because we work surrounded by food, she was keen enough to take a couple of days off. However, she texted me saying she was shopping in the mall. (That was a couple of days before Christmas. According to the news, visitors to the mall were three times as many as usual).

So she had chicken pox, was not at home, and was surrounded by hundreds of people that may or may not have had the chicken pox. I told her she shouldnt even be there, and she replied by saying. "Don't worry, Lin already had chicken pox." (Lin; her friend).

-___o'

[Goldiegirl]

It just shows you how selfish people really are. Here I have been cooped up in my house so as not to spread pneumonia....

[kairu]

So you have the flu and think I can't miss my flight because I didn't get a refundable ticket, so I am going to fly, ... Sorry but no matter what your ticket cost you it is not as valuable as the persons health and life that has to sit next to you!

I agree with you, but I still think the airline should support this by offering to give those who are sick tickets for another flight instead of leaving it up to the passengers to pay to postpone their travels, or for their insurance to cover. Most people are not going to throw away hundreds of dollars on a plane ticket just because they are sick. Many people can't afford to! Even though those with a weak immune system cannot afford for the ill to be flying beside them, either, I feel that, in most cases, the sick person won't think "I don't want to infect somebody so I'm not going to fly," but rather "I can't afford to cancel my ticket and buy another one, so I'll just have to chance it."

It isn't the right thing to do, but it's more practical and affordable.

Maybe some airlines do offer some sort of aid like this in case they have sick passengers who don't want to infect others... but if they don't, they need to adopt such a policy.

[Goldiegirl]

I purchased travel insurance on my upcoming trip to Guam. It covers my ticket in case I am ill and can't travel and if there are any unexpected weather delays and such. It was 50 dollars extra per person. I always buy the insurance because I always get sick!

I do think that airlines should work with people who are ill and shouldn't fly and didn't purchase insurance or a refundable ticket. I would think a doctors note would be required because I am sure there would be people who would abuse the system!

I would like to take the "affordable" option out for people. If you are found out to be sick with a contagious disease that you KNEW you had before traveling (like TB) you should be fined and the people you potentially infected should be able to get compensation for there medical treatments including lab tests etc! If it were to hurt your bank account you would probably act in a more respectable and RESPONSIBLE manner.