If HIV-positive foreigners aren’t deterred by the extra security measures implemented on international flights arriving in the U.S., then they’ll be glad to know that, starting today, they’ll no longer have to submit to a blood test to score a visa to visit America, one of 12 countries that still insisted on screening for the virus. That’s because, courtesy the Obama administration, the Bush-era travel ban on HIV-positive visitors has been lifted. Huzzah! They will, however, still have to face nightmares like these:
hello
i’m sorry. why is this a good thing for actual americans (not the individuals that don’t have to sign up for a blood test)? this just means that hiv will spread more rabidly in america both in the gay and straight communities. honestly, obama has done so much to hurt this country. i don’t want more cases of hiv/aids in the us population, which is already much higher than many other first world nations. this is a stupid decision done for pr that will hurt and kill real people.
James
It’s not a Bush era ban; It started during the Reagan Administration and continued the the Clinton and both Bushes. George Juniors team actually started the paperwork to end it; Obama did absolutly nothing, as usual.
Lukas P.
This is news that matters, or should: no more blood test needed for foreigners to get a US visa. Some US citizens are very opposed to letting HIV pos. people in the country at all!
So far, just two Queertyville comments? Lady Gaga must be more important, right? [well, she’s more interesting, I grant that].
Two of my colleagues from overseas were denied visas to teach/research in the US, owing to the fact they are HIV positive.
They were not alone in being denied visas. Based solely on a visa applicant’s HIV status, scholars and artists etc. have been denied visas and partners/spouses have been robbed of the chance to reuinite, despite meeting every other criterion.
Your next new physician, personal trainer, partner, boss, manicurist, editor or employee may in fact get to come to the US due to the change.
romeo
This ban was always hypocritical and did nothing to stem the spread of the disease. And the song remains the same — bag that puppy, condoms, condoms, condoms.
I’m much more concerned about airborne anti-biotic resistent TB and the like coming across the border WITHOUT a visa.
Lukas P.
@Romeo–Great point re: the TB.
Scary stuff. These diseases that people pick up, fly on a plane with–typically with no symptoms–and then spread elsewhere around the globe will be hitting headlines more and more. HIV, of course is scary but we KNOW how that’s transmitted and how to prevent it.
Even the so called “Swine-flu” probably slipped across the border and although not as bad as predicted, still caused many deaths. The coroners stayed busy, but mass hysteria was kept to a low boil.
Idea: Mandatory face masks on planes won’t just prevent the spread of disease, they cover the ugly, too! ;~P
Also @Romeo: LOL on your comments about the NPH and Kevin Smith item.
me
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