Got TB? Go to Jail!

Damocles

Damocles

Accedo!
Staff member
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2007/08/25/tbcase_0826.html

Teen jailed for TB denied having disease, officials say

By CRAIG SCHNEIDER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 08/25/07

When doctors told Francisco Santos he had tuberculosis Friday, health officials said the Gwinnett County 17-year-old refused to believe it.

Then the wiry, dark-haired youth refused to submit to any treatment. Worse, he said he was walking out of the Gwinnett Medical Center in Lawrenceville and heading back to his home country of Mexico, officials said.

.....

More at link.
 
Well, I have to admit, I am a bit surprised at my reaction to this. I'm sympathetic to the health officials. What were they to do when they had a non compliant health threat who obviously had no regards for the welfare of everyone else he would come into contact with? If he'd spread it to other people those same health officials would have been railroaded.
 
uscitizen said:
darned illegal immigrants should leave their diseases at home.
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LOL, well I'm sure if he were illegal, O'Liely would be all up in arms.

I don't know. That's a tough situation when someone's not willing to cooperate to stop the spread of the disease. Damo, what do you think the authorities should do?
 
LadyT said:
LOL, well I'm sure if he were illegal, O'Liely would be all up in arms.

I don't know. That's a tough situation when someone's not willing to cooperate to stop the spread of the disease. Damo, what do you think the authorities should do?
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Protect the innocent.

Does anyone here remember the days of sanitoriums and such for TB ?
 
LadyT said:
LOL, well I'm sure if he were illegal, O'Liely would be all up in arms.

I don't know. That's a tough situation when someone's not willing to cooperate to stop the spread of the disease. Damo, what do you think the authorities should do?
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I think they did the only thing they can do. The title is a way to get people to click.
 
Damocles said:
I think they did the only thing they can do. The title is a way to get people to click.
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:rolleyes: you and your sensationalism.

Well, I agree then. I wouldn't want to be exposed to TB and I'm sure people in the Greater Atlanta area don't want to be either.
 
uscitizen said:
Protect the innocent.

Does anyone here remember the days of sanitoriums and such for TB ?
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Well, then I guess we all agree, the authorities did the right thing in protecting the general population aka the innocent.

And no, I can't say I do remember the days of sanitoriums.
 
uscitizen said:
They may be back LadyT due to the immigration levels and health problems in other countries.
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Ugh. That doesn't sound pleasant. But personally I'm more apt to support the war on diseases than I am the war on terror. If that's what health officials deem necessary to keep the spread of such diseases at bay then I'm fine with it within reason.

When I got my VISA in France I had to under go a physical exam as well. It wasn't bad. I wonder if the US does that too. The only thing was retarded about it was that I didn't have to undergo the exam until I was there for like 3 or 4 months. It made no sense whatsoever.
 
Not sure ladyT I did a fair bit of world travel for my job before 911 and never had to do any medical tests, coming or going.
Never went to france though. Mexico, China, and Japan mostly.
 
The teen panicked and was thinking irrationally. I hate to see him jailed, but honestly, there was no better solution. He was a public health threat and could've infected other people, which is not victimless, obviously.
 
uscitizen said:
Not sure ladyT I did a fair bit of world travel for my job before 911 and never had to do any medical tests, coming or going.
Never went to france though. Mexico, China, and Japan mostly.
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I had a residency/student VISA. If you went to France on a vacation would not have to take medical tests.
 
uscitizen said:
Not sure ladyT I did a fair bit of world travel for my job before 911 and never had to do any medical tests, coming or going.
Never went to france though. Mexico, China, and Japan mostly.
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I think Japan makes you under go tests at the airport if you are from African countries and a few other tropical locations.
 
Speaking of which I have year to get mine renewed. I want to do it after I go away in the fall. I hear it takes forever to get it renewed now. I may choose to have it expedited and hope it gets to me in in a few months.
 
LadyT said:
:rolleyes: you and your sensationalism.

Well, I agree then. I wouldn't want to be exposed to TB and I'm sure people in the Greater Atlanta area don't want to be either.
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I've already been exposed once. No thanks, not again.
 
LadyT said:
Speaking of which I have year to get mine renewed. I want to do it after I go away in the fall. I hear it takes forever to get it renewed now. I may choose to have it expedited and hope it gets to me in in a few months.
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My buddy had his expedited and got it in two weeks. Personally, I skipped the expedited process.... mine has been 6 weeks and counting....
 
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