I certainly hope the TSA Agents are wearing disposable, nonlatex hospital gloves

[northernlights]

and wash their hands thoroughly and correctly, and change gloves, in between gropes.

Seriously, this is a potential public health issue. Many pathogens are transmitted via fomites (objects). Including certain STDs, say Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Yes, they could pick up gonorrhoeae from one victim's underwear and deposit it onto yours, or elsewhere on your person. And be certain to wash up yourself very carefully afterwards, and do not put your hands near your face, even if you are crying because N. gonorrhoeae can also cause conjunctivitis, plus you don't know what other pathogens they may have picked up during the last search.

[SammyWinstonJack]

1. K&R

[Ikonoklast]

2. Uh-oh. That is a public health issue.

I, for one, have always had a problem with strangers touching my person, and have always been uncomfortable when they do so as I've seen waaaay too many people in my life go to a restroom and walk right out without even thinking about washing their hands.


So now at a security checkpoint, I get to have their pathogens transferred directly to my person, courtesy of the Federal Government.

Ugh.

[LisaL]

3. If they are approaching you for pat down, demand they put

fresh gloves on.

[spooky3]

4. I would HATE to be a TSA employee. I imagine most of them would greatly prefer not to do pat downs.

[LisaL]

5. Are any of them quitting over this?

Sure don't think so.

[Codeine]

24. why would anyone quit their job right now?

That's ridiculous. Quit putting the onus on the workers -- they didn't create this policy, and they aren't enjoying touching an endless parade of fat, sweaty strangers.

[northernlights]

6. groping genitals is not a pat down. and I'm sure most would not be exposed to other people's body

fluids. But then there's always going to be the ones that get off on complete power over another human being.

[spooky3]

21. Were they asked about whether to implement this policy?

I would think this was a top management decision. Most of these folks are like Dem. base people. They aren't the ultra rich people with power. They probably don't have many choices about jobs with the current unemployment rates. I would certainly not jump to any conclusions about anyone's power issues, though I'm sure as in any job, you'll have people with issues.

[northernlights]

28. certain jobs attract certain types of people -- dem base or not

and power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely holds true regardless of political affiliation. Study after study has shown that if you give absolute power of one group over another group, that power will be abused.

It wasn't long ago that a famous study was posted here in DU where one group of students were given the power and ordered to inflict torture by electric shock on another group. (There was no actual shock involved -- only actors heard screaming through the walls). As I recall, something like 80% of the power-group students followed the orders.

[spooky3]

39. they didn't have to do this type of groping when most were hired

These individuals do NOT have the power. It is the management who sets the policy and decides what they will and will not do.

And while the unemployment rate for (relatively low skilled people) remains high, they aren't free to leave.

I think you are really generalizing far too much about the people in this job, without evidence. It reminds me of an old Lenny Bruce routine about police officers -- maybe it can be found on the web somewhere. "It takes a certain kind of person to do this work (negative attributions follow)...but you'd better make sure you do it, or YOUR ass will get kicked and thrown in the slammer."

[northernlights]

41. they won't get thrown in the slammer for resigning...

and this thread is about health risk to everybody -- not about whether or not the gropers are enjoying their groping.

[LibDemAlways]

42. "get off on complete power over another human being"

Yep. Take a look at the personnel at airport checkpoints and behold a bunch of otherwise powerless people who get to hold the public hostage everyday. When I traveled last August a little snot nosed brat at LAX grabbed my purse away from me for no reason whatever and dumped the entire contents of my wallet - nothing more than change and credit cards- into one of those plastic bins. Then she gave me a self-satisfied smirk and walked away. She did it for no other reason than that she could. She knew there was nothing suspicious there. The purse had already passed x-ray muster. She was just being an asshole because the government allowed her to be.

Now with the gropings, imagine the sadistic pleasure some (not all) will be experiencing.

[spooky3]

22. and right on cue, here is the evidence of it

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9594341

[northernlights]

30. but this one is very telling...

"I should not have to go home and cry after a day of honorably serving my country."

If you think searching fellow citizens' underwear is honorably serving your country, you need to wake up and smell the coffee.

My guess is that over time, the people who find this work offensive will find their way into new jobs or quit in total disgust, come what may. Or their psyche's will adapt and they'll start hating the passengers who call them names and -- either consciously or unconsciously -- use their power to strike back.

And over time, the job will attract and retain entirely the *wrong* set of people. Sort of like slaughterhouses do. You either are so repulsed and horrified that you quit, move away, or join PETA and film an expose. Or you become inured to the violence, and are apathetic to the suffering inflicted...or worse.

[spooky3]

38. My hope is that the cycle will stopped long before then so that the

majority of good people won't be lost.

[northernlights]

40. on that we agree,but in the meantime I sincerely hope they are washing and changing gloves

between their genital and anal gropings. Because regardless of how the employees feel about their job, that is what they are doing and it does entail a health risk -- to them as well as the hapless travelers who fell into this trap. Which is what the OP was about to begin with. Nowhere did I discuss the employees doing this...until you changed the subject.

[Citizen Worker]

7. I was told many years ago that a FOMITE is a far out mildly intelligent train enthusiast.

[northernlights]

13. in the healthcare world a fomite is a vector

that is an object.

[cbdo2007]

8. Are they touching people's underwear?

[northernlights]

12. read the descriptions

they go under your waistband and grope your genitals and breasts.

[likesmountains 52]

9. Handling money is more likely to make you sick. Putting your hands on your face or mouth

after you collect your change for that magazine is more likely to make you sick than a TSA screener's gloves.

[northernlights]

14. it's not likely the money has recently been wiped on your butt

or underwear. The TSA screener's gloves or hands have.

[pipi_k]

10. You mentioned non-latex gloves...

to which I'll add in case some people don't know...

Latex gloves can cause nasty reactions in people with allergies to them.

[lightningandsnow]

36. Yeah. I have a latex allergy.

It's fairly mild in the world of allergies - I won't die from it. However, coming into contact with latex gives me nasty, itchy rashes.

[somone]

11. Does anyone know if genital herpes is transferable skin-glove-skin?

It's a well-known fact that genital herpes is transferable skin-to-skin...

[likesmountains 52]

20. I am not a fan of the TSA but they are not touching your genitals with their gloved hands..

you are more likely to pick up "something" from a doorknob or shopping cart, or elevator button.

[northernlights]

29. article was just posted here yesterday -- woman claiming sexual abuse

by TSA agent that she says went *inside* her underpants.

So, um, yes they are.

And, btw, female genital mucosal tissue exudes thin mucous pretty much 24x7, especially in certain age ranges. There's a reason why the pad companies push ultra-thin pads -- the fluids can soak right through the undies.

[felix_numinous]

15. If they are not changing gloves

after touching underwear, diapers, and even skin, this is not a good practice. If it was so safe they wouldn't be wearing gloves in the first place. Plenty of things can be passed on, from the common cold and flu viruses, to MRSA wounds, all the way through actual cooties, like lice and mites. Not to mention all the people who are immune compromised.

Not many viruses live long outside the human body, but if these guys are going from one person to another quickly, secretions, blood or fecal matter can very well carry disease from one person to another. That is why MRSA runs rampant in hospitals, it gets passed if there is the weak link in sterile procedure.

I am adamantly against this practice, they need to create a more effective security system.

[pipi_k]

16. Yep, imagine someone with a staph boil or something

and the inspector's glove picks up a bit of tissue or liquid, then transfers it to the skin of another person who has the tiniest break in the skin.

I don't know what the legalities would be as far as having to actually prove that a serious (or even deadly, in some cases) staph infection had been caused by such practices at the airport.

But anyway, I think you're right...if touching lots of people were all that safe, inspectors wouldn't be wearing the gloves in the first place. Which means they're protecting themselves but not passengers.

[AnArmyVeteran]

25. Let's see if I have this right: Terrorists kill 3,000, but TSA kills millions with staph infections!

[pipi_k]

32. I don't know whether that's true or not...

I mean, about the TSA killing millions with staph infections...

but if it's your friend or family member who happens to be sensitive to staph infections (Mr Pip has had a couple and nearly died once)...or someone whose immune system is compromised (my son takes anti-RA medications) then the whole issue becomes very personal and very important.

[northernlights]

33. a bit of an exaggeration, but...

in hospitals, despite stringent hand washing, glove changing procedures between patients, rooms -- and even between body parts in some cases -- nosocomial infections remain a serious problem.

And community-acquired antiobiotic resistance infections such as MRSA are a rapidly growing problem.

Just what we *don't* need is yet another way to spread infections...in the name of safety makes it almost a farce.

[pipi_k]

34. The hospital is probably the scariest place...

with the invasive pat-downs coming a close second or third...

Last year Mr Pip had total knee replacement surgery, and was on the surgical floor where one of his daughters works as a nurse.

She witnessed another nurse come in from a different patient's room and attempt to perform some sort of nursing care on Mr P without washing her hands first. Stepdaughter ripped the other nurse a new one...first, it's her dad...second, because that's what they're supposed to do. Like you said, washing hands probably doesn't get rid of everything, but not taking proper precautions is like playing with fire...

[Warren DeMontague]

17. I got it from the TSA agent, honey!

I swear!

[northernlights]

18. kicking nt

[nc4bo]

19. This just keep getting worser by the moment...

Had an art class today with cancer patients, some traveling by air for T-day. Many of their immune systems are sub-par not only from the cancer but from the chemo and radiation.

Only 1 or 2 seemed concerned. That concern centered mostly on the invasion of privacy not being a big deal. I guess they really hadn't thought about the possibly of catching a disease from the agent's hands.

Truthfully, I hadn't given it much thought either but after today and reading this post, I do now.

[AnArmyVeteran]

23. Force TSA workers to PISS on your iPhone to check for STDs!

An iPhone app that is in development will allow users to test for STDs. So instead of putting yourself at risk, force TSA screeners to piss on your iPhone STD sensor. Of course, by doing that you are probably increasing your likelihood of catching an STD from them.

http://technology.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978675274#recommended

[TheWatcher]

26. Wow, There's an App For EVERYTHING!

:rofl:

[AnArmyVeteran]

27. It's amazing isn't it! I'd like an app to detect approaching right wingers.

Maybe the STD app could be modified slightly to include the proximity of tea baggers.

[populistdriven]

31. i would enjoy embarrassing the hell out of the tsa folks

but thats just me

[lightningandsnow]

35. I have a latex allergy.

I'm more concerned about the very real risk of having a reaction to being touched with latex gloves than the theoretical risk of germ transmission. I am lucky to have a very mild latex allergy - I will get itchy and perhaps get a rash if latex comes into contact with my skin, which is unpleasant but not life threatening. I know at least 3 people with severe, life-threatening latex allergies. So they better be using non-latex gloves.

[northernlights]

37. that is where your concern clearly should be...

Allergies can change very quickly from mild to life-threatening. That is why they offer latex-free gloves in hospitals. To protect the patients but also the health care workers. I'm a student: if we show *any* symptoms of latex-allergy, we are advised to use latex-free only.

[LibDemAlways]

43. There is a child at my daughter's school with a latex

allergy so severe that latex was banned on the premises. No latex balloons to celebrate birthdays, no latex gloves in the nurse's office - no latex period.

Sooner or later someone groped is going to experience a health issue because of this nonsense - be it a severe reaction to latex or a heart attack from the stress. It's inevitable.