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Fever serious business

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 13, 2009

United Airlines acted correctly in removing an ill patient from the airplane ("Swine flu challenges airlines," front page, Nov. 10). Tuberculosis, measles and influenza are among many serious diseases that have spread in an airplane cabin.

All airlines and all airports should display signage about travel and infectious diseases and actively discourage potentially contagious patients from traveling to prevent widespread sickness, as recently seen in the H1N1 influenza outbreak.

Secondly, for Tampa International Airport to leave contagious-disease management to the airlines is a serious misstep. In many parts of the world, especially Asia, passengers are not allowed to travel if they have a fever. TIA's checkpoints should protect Tampa's travelers not only from terrorism, but also from sickness.

JOHN SINNOTT

LEELA MUNDRA

Tampa

Dr. John Sinnott is director of the Division of Infectious Disease & International Medicine at University of South Florida. Leela Mundra is a research assistant at USF and an International Baccalaureate student at Hillsborough H

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