Mass. Wants Law To Authorize Quarantine And Children Confiscation

Flight diverted to Boston after passenger complains of flu

A person complained of having flu-like symptoms on board a jet to Washington from Munich, and in order to take precautionary measures the plane was diverted to Logan International Airport in Boston.

A United Airlines flight from Munich to Washington has been diverted to Boston’s Logan International Airport because a female passenger complained of flu symptoms, an airport official said.

Flight 903, a 737 containing 245 passengers and 16 crew, has been isolated in the north cargo area of the airport, said airport spokesman Phil Orlandella.

One patient was removed from the plane and was being taken to Masachusetts General Hospital, said Jennifer Mehigan, a spokeswoman for Boston Emergency Medical Services. The other passengers are expected to stay on board and continue to Washington after refueling, airport officials said.

The Boston Globe has the report.

Massachussets Senate Approves Pandemic Flu Martial Law Bill

The Massachusetts Senate has unanimously passed a pandemic flu preparation bill that has languished in the Legislature before the recent swine flu outbreak.

The 36-0 vote today sends the measure to the House. Both branches have taken it up in past years, but have not been able to agree on the details.

The new Senate version would allow the public health commissioner — in a public health emergency — to close or evacuate buildings, enter private property for investigations, and quarantine individuals.

The bill specifically mandates the following:

(1) to require the owner or occupier of premises to permit entry into and investigation of the premises;
(2) to close, direct, and compel the evacuation of, or to decontaminate or cause to be decontaminated any building or facility, and to allow the reopening of the building or facility when the danger has ended;
(3) to decontaminate or cause to be decontaminated, or to destroy any material;
(4) to restrict or prohibit assemblages of persons;
(5) to require a health care facility to provide services or the use of its facility, or to transfer the management and supervision of the health care facility to the department or to a local public health authority;
(6) to control ingress to and egress from any stricken or threatened public area, and the movement of persons and materials within the area;
(7) to adopt and enforce measures to provide for the safe disposal of infectious waste and human remains, provided that religious, cultural, family, and individual beliefs of the deceased person shall be followed to the extent possible when disposing of human remains, whenever that may be done without endangering the public health;
(8) to procure, take immediate possession from any source, store, or distribute any anti-toxins, serums, vaccines, immunizing agents, antibiotics, and other pharmaceutical agents or medical supplies located within the commonwealth as may be necessary to respond to the emergency;
(9) to require in-state health care providers to assist in the performance of vaccination, treatment, examination, or testing of any individual as a condition of licensure, authorization, or the ability to continue to function as a health care provider in the commonwealth