Closing Mexico-U.S. Border Still an Option for Fighting Swine Flu,
Congresswoman Says
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
By Penny Starr, Senior Staff Writer
Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) (AP Photo)
(CNSNews.com) ¡V Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.), a member of the House
Homeland Security Committee, told CNSNews.com that fellow committee member
Rep. Eric Massa's (D-N.Y.) call to seal the border between Mexico and the
United States is not necessary yet but is still an option for stopping the
spread of the H1N1 virus, or swine flu.
She also said that opening health screening stations on the U.S. Southwest
border and other points of entry was a good idea.
"As President Obama said this morning, swine flu is a cause for concern,
but not yet a cause for alarm," Sanchez said on Monday. "The Centers for
Disease Control and Department of Homeland Security are taking the
appropriate steps to ensure this outbreak does not spread, including
establishing health screening stations at our Southwest border and ports of
entry.
"These and other precautionary measures¡Xcombined with common-sense actions
like washing one's hands and exercising caution¡Xshould help ensure the
United States experiences only a few isolated cases of swine flu," said
Sanchez.
"Should the situation change, however, we are fully prepared to take
whatever action is necessary to protect Americans from this illness,
including closing the U.S.-Mexico border," she said.
On Saturday, Massa called for the "immediate" and "complete" closure of the
U.S. border with Mexico until officials in that country can contain the
spread of the H1N1 virus, or swine flu.
"The public needs to be aware of the serious threat of swine flu, and we
need to close our borders to Mexico immediately and completely until this
is resolved," Massa said in a statement posted on his congressional Web
site.
"The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and the WHO (World Health
Organization) are monitoring this situation closely and I call on all
Americans to pay attention and follow their instructions as this situation
develops. I have complete faith in our medical professionals and look
forward to a swift conclusion to this problem," Massa added.
Massa criticized the media for its coverage of the outbreak, which led to
U.S. officials declaring it a public health emergency on Sunday.
"I am making this announcement because I see this as a serious threat to
the health of the American public and I do not believe this issue is
receiving the attention it needs to have in the news," Massa said.
But Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said at a press conference
on Monday that closing the border was not necessary.
"We're already doing passive surveillance at the border," Napolitano said.
"You would close the border if you thought you could contain the spread of
disease, but the disease is already in a number of U.S. states."
Mexico has been at the epicenter of the swine flu outbreak, with more than
150 deaths there believed to have been caused by the virus and more than
1,500 people becoming ill from it.
So far, cases of the virus have been reported in countries around the
world, including New Zealand, Scotland, Canada, Spain and Israel.
In the United States, the CDC has confirmed 64 cases of swine flu, with
people in California, Kansas, New York, Ohio and Texas becoming ill.
In a second statement posted on his congressional Web site on Monday, Massa
defended his call to close the U.S.-Mexico border, saying he was the first
member of Congress "to call for any kind of restrictions" along the border.
He also said the public should listen to government officials.
"The H1N1 virus is a cause for concern and I again call on the public to
pay attention to the new reports being issued by the Centers for Disease
Control and World Health Organization," Massa said. "The epicenter of this
outbreak is still in Mexico, and while we now have several confirmed cases
in the United States, we must consider all options to help reduce the
number of new cases entering our nation.
"I'm glad that the White House has issued a travel advisory and is
conducting passive screening at the border, but I think we should consider
stronger measures at the border," Massa said. "I am in favor of using all
tools available to reduce the spread of swine flu."
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