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CDC Wants to Track Travelers

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the i-heard-it-from-a-little-bird dept.

gearspring writes "According to Government Health IT the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wants your email address, your mobile phone number, names of your traveling companions, your name, your address, and your emergency contacts name, address, and phone number. This information would be gathered by airlines, travel agents, and online reservation systems for all travelers. Their goal is to protect us in the event of a pandemic. The SARS crisis showed them the difficulty of notifying people that they may have been exposed to a disease. It is a noble goal, but couldn't they do this anonymously?"

2 of 299 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Unfortunately.... by justasecond · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    I've come to realize that people who bring up comparisons to the Spanish Flu are either a) intellectually deficient (i.e., politicians and the media) or b) have something to profit by the comparison (politicians and the media). A moments simple reflection:

    * The 1918 virus spread through the trenches, where soldiers were packed shoulder-to-shoulder. A serious flu suffer these days would be isolated in a medical ward, preventing the disease from spreading.

    * We have *slightly* better sanitation and hygene now than in 1918. You know, like indoor plumbing, hand washing, etc.?

    * Many of the 1918 deaths were *not* from the flu; rather, they were from secondary causes (dehydration, secondary infections, etc.). These are perfectly treatable now.

    * Oh, yes, and there's little matter of a vaccine. You *are* aware that we can now vaccinate against virus strains, aren't you?

    * Post-infection, there are also anti-viral medicines that appear to work quite effectively.

    These points are all very easy to think through, so I'm wondering why you're playing Chicken Little? Are you just stupid, do you get off on scaring your friends with some made-up pandemic, or do you work for the media or government?

  2. Re:anti-govt attitude by ajdlinux · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    I draw the line at when someone else's freedom is stopping me from exercising my freedom. If Bird Flu's freedom is going to kill me, I will pick safety rather than freedom.

    Same with terrorism: if terrorists are going to blow up my town, I would rather stay alive with a little less freedom than be dead.

    Still, why is there always an anti-government attitude on /.?