For an Ebola outbreak that President Barack Obama insists is not an outbreak, he sure is moving fast to stem an outbreak now that over one hundred Americans are either in voluntary quarantines, face travel bans or are being monitored over contact with the three Dallas Ebola patients.
News broke Sunday that the Defense Department is creating a 30-person “”expeditionary medical support team” under U.S. Northern Command that will commence training this week to help U.S. hospitals with new Ebola cases in what Obama says is not an Ebola outbreak.
The move comes after Obama convened an urgent meeting at the White House Saturday night after he chided Americans in his weekly address for being concerned about Ebola and then spent nearly five hours in the afternoon golfing with an ESPN personality.
“First, what we’re seeing now is not an “outbreak” or an “epidemic” of Ebola in America. We’re a nation of more than 300 million people. To date, we’ve seen three cases of Ebola diagnosed here…we have to keep this in perspective. As our public health experts point out, every year thousands of Americans die from the flu.”
The Pentagon issued a press release Sunday detailing the move that was reported by Time and other outlets:
“The “expeditionary medical support team” will consist of 20 critical care nurses, five doctors trained in infectious disease, and five trainers in infectious disease protocols, Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby said in a statement.
““In response to a request from the Department of Health and Human Services—and as an added prudent measure to ensure our nation is ready to respond quickly, effectively, and safely in the event of additional Ebola cases in the United States—Secretary Hagel today ordered his Northern Command Commander, Gen. Chuck Jacoby, to prepare and train a 30-person expeditionary medical support team that could, if required, provide short-notice assistance to civilian medical professionals in the United States,” Kirby said.
“The team will begin specialized training in infection control and the use of personal protective equipment within the next week, at Fort Sam Houston.
“Upon conclusion of training, team members will remain in a ‘prepare to deploy’ status for 30 days, available to be sent to other [contiguous United States] locations as required,” Kirby said. “They will not be sent to West Africa or elsewhere overseas and will be called upon domestically only if deemed prudent by our public health professionals.””
The Pentagon announced on Friday Obama is authorizing the call-up of reservists for deployment to the Ebola hot zone in West Africa along with up to 4,000 active duty troops in what is being called “Operation United Assistance”
As The Gateway Pundit reported, contrary to the PR photo above from the Pentagon, those troops are being deployed without full protective hazmat suits.
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