'With Liberty And Travel For All'; Obama Lifts HIV Travel Ban
Although the travel health focus right now is on the Swine Flu, it's nonetheless important to remember that Swine Flu isn't the end-all, be-all of dangerous diseases right now. After all, millions of people in the world don't have it, unlike HIV and AIDS. Up until this weekend, those with HIV were banned from traveling to the United States due to an archaic law which was just lifted by Obama in response to a UNAIDS request for all countries to end such discriminatory travel bans: "Placing travel restrictions on people living with HIV has no public health justification. It is also a violation of human rights," said UNAIDS executive director Michel Sidibe.
Although the ban won't be fully lifted until next year, those who have HIV and haven't been able to visit the US and make their dreams come true of going to Graceland and eating a slice of New York pizza now can start booking their flights.
The HIV travel ban was passed way back in 1987, when the public was very afraid of and confused about the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and misinformation ran rampant. These days, people have returned to not freaking out about sharing water fountains and not giving wide berths to anyone wearing a red ribbon, so it's about time that all can travel as equals, even in first class.
For a list of seven diseased you really ought to be afraid of during travel, checking out this article at The Olympian.
Related Stories:
· Obama Lifts HIV Travel Ban For Visitors To US [SFGate]
· UN Urges Nations To Lift HIV Travel Ban [AFP]
· Seven diseases to be aware of if you plan to travel overseas [The Olympian]
· Travel Health coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: China Daily]
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