CDC expands testing of international air traveler samples to include flu, RSV, and other respiratory viruses

[Red Phoenix]

Three days ago the CDC quietly released a statement announcing the start of its Traveler-based Genomic Surveillance program.

 

While the program was first introduced during the pandemic specifically to screen for COVID-19, this announcement from the CDC informs us that it are now expanding the program to test for other viruses as well.

 

“The expansion of the Traveler-based Genomic Surveillance program to flu, RSV, and other pathogens is essential as we head into fall respiratory season. The TGS program, which began during the COVID-19 pandemic, acted as an early warning system to detect new and rare variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and will do the same for other respiratory viruses going forward,” said Dr. Cindy Friedman, chief of CDC’s Travelers’ Health Branch.

 

In total, the program has been expanded to screen for over 30 different pathogens.

 

According to the CDC, the way that this program will be implemented in airports across the country will be three-fold:

- it will involve taking nasal swabs of arriving passengers,

- testing the aircraft wastewater, and

- testing samples of the wastewater in seven major airports.

 

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2023/s1107-testing-respiratory-viruses.html

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Before any of the usual cast of characters arrive to perhaps rail on this, it's worth mentioning some details that Red Phoenix didn't include in his summary of the program above:

 

From the above announcement:

 

"As of September 2023, TGS has enrolled more than 360,000 air travelers. Participation in the program is voluntary and anonymous. The program covers flights from more than 135 countries from all World Health Organization regions."

 

And also as Reuters reports, the expanded program will involve 7 international airports in the U.S. and will be just temporary in the coming months during the peak respiratory virus season.

 

"The program includes seven participating international airports across the country - Los Angeles, New York's John F. Kennedy, San Francisco, Boston Logan, Washington Dulles, Seattle and Newark."

...

"The pilot expansion, which will last for several months, comes ahead of the U.S. winter months when respiratory-disease causing viruses usually circulate more heavily.

 

CDC has warned that it expects hospitalizations from COVID-19, RSV infections and flu this year to be similar to last year's numbers, higher than the pre-pandemic levels."

 

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-cdc-expand-surveillance-travelers-respiratory-viruses-2023-11-06/

Edited November 9, 2023 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

And in case anyone needed any additional reminding, also according to the CDC, more than 1,200 people in the U.S. are continuing to die from COVID each and every week even now:

 

 

 

https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_weeklydeaths_select_00

 

Note: the lower gray colored figures with lower totals at the far right of the graph are colored that way because the data for those weeks is considered incomplete and partial because of lag time in death causes reporting -- and NOT because it means COVID death numbers lately are dramatically dropping.

 

[Red Phoenix]

12 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Before any of the usual cast of characters arrive to rail on this, it's worth mentioning some details that Red Phoenix didn't include in his summary of the program above:

...

~

You know full well that according to AseanNow's  Community Standards that one should limit the quotes from an article to max 3 paragraphs, so I opted for the 3 most relevant ones to provide the jist of the article. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

14 minutes ago, Red Phoenix said:

~

You know full well that according to AseanNow's  Community Standards that one should limit the quotes from an article to max 3 paragraphs, so I opted for the 3 most relevant ones to provide the jist of the article. 

 

That applies only to direct quoting, and not to the summarizing of details in your own words, which you liberally did above, and often do, choosing what to include and what to omit.

 

Also, worth noting, I'm not sure how the CDC, in Red Phoenix's conspiratorial tones, "quietly" released a statement on this, considering that they issued a public news release on the program and posted it to their website, leading to dozens of news reports on the topic in the past few days.

 

That's hardly "quiet."

 

 

 

 

Edited November 9, 2023 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[owl sees all]

3 hours ago, Red Phoenix said:

Three days ago the CDC quietly released a statement announcing the start of its Traveler-based Genomic Surveillance program.

While the program was first introduced during the pandemic specifically to screen for COVID-19, this announcement from the CDC informs us that it are now expanding the program to test for other viruses as well.

“The expansion of the Traveler-based Genomic Surveillance program to flu, RSV, and other pathogens is essential as we head into fall respiratory season. The TGS program, which began during the COVID-19 pandemic, acted as an early warning system to detect new and rare variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and will do the same for other respiratory viruses going forward,” said Dr. Cindy Friedman, chief of CDC’s Travelers’ Health Branch.

In total, the program has been expanded to screen for over 30 different pathogens.

According to the CDC, the way that this program will be implemented in airports across the country will be three-fold:

- it will involve taking nasal swabs of arriving passengers,

- testing the aircraft wastewater, and

- testing samples of the wastewater in seven major airports.

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2023/s1107-testing-respiratory-viruses.html

 

This is so against Nature, that I'm inclined to call it 'monumental CDC gobble-gook'.

 

What is taking nasal swabs got to do with health? If, and it's a big if, they run the swab samples through a test, what does it show? Matches - or otherwise - to sequences in a computer data base...

 

For my money; it is nonsense. Nature has the answers.

Edited November 9, 2023 by stats
unsourced and unsubstantiated claims removed

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

What has it got to do with health? Try reading the CDC's own announcement as linked above:

 

"TGS has proven to be a nimble and scalable resource for public health officials in the United States–quickly adapting to a changing pandemic in real time and addressing gaps in global surveillance; especially, when testing and sequencing information are limited.

 

For example, TGS provided early detection of the SARS-CoV-2 variant BA.2.86 entering the United States within days of its global identification. As the infected traveler had originated travel in Japan, this finding also informed the public health community that the new variant had also spread to Asia."

 

 

[Red Phoenix]

17 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Also, worth noting, I'm not sure how the CDC, in Red Phoenix's conspiratorial tones, "quietly" released a statement on this, considering that they issued a public news release on the program and posted it to their website, leading to dozens of news reports on the topic in the past few days.

 

That's hardly "quiet."

~

Might have missed it, but I didn't come across any articles in major Newspapers announcing this program of testing international air traveler samples to include flu, RSV, and other respiratory viruses. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 minute ago, Red Phoenix said:

~

Might have missed it, but I didn't come across any articles in major Newspapers announcing this program of testing international air traveler samples to include flu, RSV, and other respiratory viruses. 

 

A Google or Bing web search  would be your friend on this... Reuters, CNN, The Hill, ABC, CBS, News Nation, Becker's Hospital Review, and more.

 

[Dan O]

26 minutes ago, Red Phoenix said:

~

You know full well that according to AseanNow's  Community Standards that one should limit the quotes from an article to max 3 paragraphs, so I opted for the 3 most relevant ones to provide the jist of the article. 

Thats a difficult limitation to adhere to effectively  as quite often the end result can be extremely misleading to the actual context of what's being discussed. This OP is a good example.. Posting partially extracted info from a article can change the intent and provide a very misleading perspective. 

[owl sees all]

15 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

What has it got to do with health? Try reading the CDC's own announcement as linked above:

 

"TGS has proven to be a nimble and scalable resource for public health officials in the United States–quickly adapting to a changing pandemic in real time and addressing gaps in global surveillance; especially, when testing and sequencing information are limited.

 

For example, TGS provided early detection of the SARS-CoV-2 variant BA.2.86 entering the United States within days of its global identification. As the infected traveler had originated travel in Japan, this finding also informed the public health community that the new variant had also spread to Asia."

 

 

 

It's all CDC nonsense. They are right up there in promoting humbug. The CDC has to keep doubling down on the pathogen/virus narrative. Thousands of very well paid jobs depend on it.

 

If - rather when - it is shown that the Big Pharma approach to health is completely wrong, these CDC white-coat nerds will be on the dole. Or the US equivalent of the dole.

 

All my opinion of course. If you feel ill best to visit a doctor.

Edited November 9, 2023 by owl sees all

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 minutes ago, Dan O said:

Thats a difficult limitation to adhere to effectively  as quite often the end result can be extremely misleading to the actual context of what's being discussed. This OP is a good example.. Posting partially extracted info from a article can change the intent and provide a very misleading perspective. 

 

I think the part that a fair-minded opening post would/should have included were the details about "anonymous" and "voluntary."  But somehow, those details managed to be ignored.

 

[Dan O]

22 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

 

It's all CDC nonsense. They are right up there in promoting humbug. The CDC has to keep doubling down on the pathogen/virus narrative. Thousands of very well paid jobs depend on it.

 

If - rather when - it is shown that the Big Pharma approach to health is completely wrong, these CDC white-coat nerds will be on the dole. Or the US equivalent of the dole.

 

All my opinion of course. If you feel ill best to visit a doctor.

I believe if you think about the role of CDC its is to monitor diseases and potential impact. Having a pilot program collecting voluntary samples in an effort to gage current or potential disease transmission and movement is an appropriate action.  No need to go down the conspiracy rabbit hole 

[Dan O]

1 hour ago, owl sees all said:

 

This is so against Nature, that I'm inclined to call it 'monumental CDC gobble-gook'.

 

 What is taking nasal swabs got to do with health? If, and it's a big if, they run the swab samples through a test, what does it show? Matches - or otherwise - to sequences in a computer data base...

 

For my money; it is nonsense. Nature has the answers.

 

Thats just consipitorial nonsense with no basis in fact 

[owl sees all]

1 hour ago, Dan O said:

Having a pilot program collecting voluntary samples in an effort to gauge current or potential disease transmission and movement is an appropriate action. 

 

I hear what you say Dan. Obviously the initiative (as laid out in the OP) is deemed appropriate by the CDC. I'm not really questioning that. What I'm saying is that the CDC is coming to the heath prevention table, with the wrong paperwork; and definitely the wrong computer programmes.

 

It's not my job to tell the CDC what they should be focusing on. Although I would if I thought they would listen. But scrapping the whole thing, and starting a programme, of promoting nature to ensure a disease-free world would be infinitely better.

 

To get right down to the problem (as I see it), one has to actually define what the CDC states is a disease. I have read thousands of pages on this, and agree with very little.

 

Let's simplify. A fever is not a disease, illness or even sickness. It is a symptom, the result of something else happening within. What is causing the fever should be the real cause of concern. The modern way of thinking, (Big Pharma thinking), is that the fever needs to be suppressed, to sort out any problem. This is completely the wrong approach.

 

Let nature be the guide to good health, not computer programmes.

 

Edited November 9, 2023 by stats
unsourced and unsubstantiated claim removed

[Bkk Brian]

10 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

 

I hear what you say Dan. Obviously the initiative (as laid out in the OP) is deemed appropriate by the CDC. I'm not really questioning that. What I'm saying is that the CDC is coming to the heath prevention table, with the wrong paperwork; and definitely the wrong computer programmes.

 

It's not my job to tell the CDC what they should be focusing on. Although I would if I thought they would listen. But scrapping the whole thing, and starting a programme, of promoting nature to ensure a disease-free world would be infinitely better.

 

To get right down to the problem (as I see it), one has to actually define what the CDC states is a disease. I have read thousands of pages on this, and agree with very little. Most of the 'diseases' are no such thing.

 

Let's simplify. A fever is not a disease, illness or even sickness. It is a symptom, the result of something else happening within. What is causing the fever should be the real cause of concern. The modern way of thinking, (Big Pharma thinking), is that the fever needs to be suppressed, to sort out any problem. This is completely the wrong approach.

 

Let nature be the guide to good health, not computer programmes.

 

 

 

 

How does nature cope with Aids/HIV that started in monkeys/chimps then jumped to humans, or in nature should humans avoid all contact with monkeys? The same could be said of all zoonotic diseases including Ebola, and avian influenza

[rabas]

2 hours ago, Red Phoenix said:

Three days ago the CDC quietly released a statement announcing the start of its Traveler-based Genomic Surveillance program.

While the program was first introduced during the pandemic specifically to screen for COVID-19, this announcement from the CDC informs us that it are now expanding the program to test for other viruses as well.

 

Good news.

 

Just came back from Shanghai, immigration was impressive. At one point I was taken to a small room with nurses who swabbed my throat. They said it was for Covid, Influenza, and another virus. They would contact me if anything was positive. 

 

I told them I never had Covid and they laughed, they said everyone has had Covid. Last year's great Chinese Covid wave must have been something. 

[Amethyst]

A post with unsourced and unsubstantiated claims has been removed for contravening the forum's Community Standards.

 

"In factual areas such as news forums and current affairs topics member content that is claimed or portrayed as a fact should be supported by a link to a relevant reputable source."

[Red Phoenix]

21 minutes ago, rabas said:

...

Just came back from Shanghai, immigration was impressive. At one point I was taken to a small room with nurses who swabbed my throat. They said it was for Covid, Influenza, and another virus. They would contact me if anything was positive. 

...

~

Thanks for sharing your personal experience.

Two questions:

1 - Was this testing conducted at Suvarnabhumi airport or at Shanghai airport?

2 - Was the testing voluntary or mandatory, and if mandatory were there any reasons for singling you out?

[KhunLA]

Testing for the flu ... 

 

I assume testing for the common cold will be next 

 

This alone would be enough for me to chose a different country to visit:

"- it will involve taking nasal swabs of arriving passengers"

Edited November 9, 2023 by KhunLA

[Dan O]

37 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

 

I hear what you say Dan. Obviously the initiative (as laid out in the OP) is deemed appropriate by the CDC. I'm not really questioning that. What I'm saying is that the CDC is coming to the heath prevention table, with the wrong paperwork; and definitely the wrong computer programmes.

 

It's not my job to tell the CDC what they should be focusing on. Although I would if I thought they would listen. But scrapping the whole thing, and starting a programme, of promoting nature to ensure a disease-free world would be infinitely better.

 

To get right down to the problem (as I see it), one has to actually define what the CDC states is a disease. I have read thousands of pages on this, and agree with very little.

 

Let's simplify. A fever is not a disease, illness or even sickness. It is a symptom, the result of something else happening within. What is causing the fever should be the real cause of concern. The modern way of thinking, (Big Pharma thinking), is that the fever needs to be suppressed, to sort out any problem. This is completely the wrong approach.

 

Let nature be the guide to good health, not computer programmes.

 

I don't understand half of you you posted as its unrelated to voluntary sample collection . The program outline is sample collection to detect virus and pathogens present currently. It has nothing to do with saying someone has a fever and trying to suppress it with guess work.  Testing identifies viruses and other potentially harmful pathogens that are present in order to understand what's currently floating around out in the world.  Global tramission of dangerous diseases  is a real issue with the mobility of people to move around the world in short order. Covid proved how quickly things can spread. The sample collection isn't discussing any treatment plans but collection. I would suggest you go back do more research on what your claiming. 

[rabas]

1 minute ago, Red Phoenix said:

~

Thanks for sharing your personal experience.

Two questions:

1 - Was this testing conducted at Suvarnabhumi airport or at Shanghai airport?

2 - Was the testing voluntary or mandatory, and if mandatory were there any reasons for singling you out?

 

1. Shanghai immigration is in China. Thailand didn't test anything in or out.

2. For all foreigners AFAICT.  I was not singled out. The test took seconds. 

[Dan O]

1 minute ago, KhunLA said:

Testing for the flu ... 

 

I assume testing for the common cold will be next 

Testing for flu is a worthwhile action as the flu mutates so quickly each season its helpful to identify what strains are present currently 

[Red Phoenix]

16 minutes ago, rabas said:

 

1. Shanghai immigration is in China. Thailand didn't test anything in or out.

2. For all foreigners AFAICT.  I was not singled out. The test took seconds. 

~

Thanks.  

Visiting the Kun Ming mountains in Yunnan province (closest Chinese province to Thailand) would have been nice. 

I always had some reservations about visiting China due to its totalitarian reflexes, but mandatory swabs on arrival for 'health' are a definite non-no for me. 

[novacova]

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

How does nature cope with Aids/HIV that started in monkeys/chimps then jumped to humans, or in nature should humans avoid all contact with monkeys?

Nature: Survival of the fittest 

[Amethyst]

More posts with unsourced, unsubstantiated and irrelevant claims have been removed, along with ensuing replies.

 

[Bkk Brian]

24 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

 

 

Such is nature even before the white coats:

 

“We have discovered that most groups of viruses that infect vertebrates – including humans, such as those that cause well-known diseases like influenza – are in fact derived from those present in invertebrates,” said Professor Holmes, who is also based at the University’s multidisciplinary Charles Perkins Centre.

The study suggests these viruses have been associated with invertebrates for potentially billions of years, rather than millions of years as had been believed, and that invertebrates are the true hosts for many types of virus.

https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2016/11/24/world-of-viruses-uncovered-in-nature.html

 

[owl sees all]

4 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Such is nature even before the white coats:

 

“We have discovered that most groups of viruses that infect vertebrates – including humans, such as those that cause well-known diseases like influenza – are in fact derived from those present in invertebrates,” said Professor Holmes, who is also based at the University’s multidisciplinary Charles Perkins Centre.

The study suggests these viruses have been associated with invertebrates for potentially billions of years, rather than millions of years as had been believed, and that invertebrates are the true hosts for many types of virus.

https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2016/11/24/world-of-viruses-uncovered-in-nature.html

 

I don't agree with Professor Holmes.

 

Looking specifically at humans as part of nature. The body will do just about anything to survive. The fever, headache, sore throat, rash etc. is the body surviving. It is trying to get the body back to good heath. It uses the rash, fever etc to get rid of nasties withing it.

 

But there is obviously more to nature than the last paragraph. Wholesome food, clean water and fresh air are what our bodies thrive on. The white-coats think they can improve on nature. In my view they should learn from it; rather than fight against it.

[Bkk Brian]

3 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

I don't agree with Professor Holmes.

 

Looking specifically at humans as part of nature. The body will do just about anything to survive. The fever, headache, sore throat, rash etc. is the body surviving. It is trying to get the body back to good heath. It uses the rash, fever etc to get rid of nasties withing it.

 

But there is obviously more to nature than the last paragraph. Wholesome food, clean water and fresh air are what our bodies thrive on. The white-coats think they can improve on nature. In my view they should learn from it; rather than fight against it.

Professor Holmes and just about every doctor and scientist in the world don't agree with you. But you have around 14 or 15 mates who know the truth................

[Amethyst]

The topic here is about a voluntary CDC testing program for international arrivals at select U.S. airports... The off-topic posting unrelated to this has now formally reached its limit.