Out of Africa

Christos Stylianides has made no secret of his desire to go to West Africa to assess the Ebola crisis there first-hand.

He told MEPs that it was the first thing he would do as the new European commissioner for health. Yet he did not get on a plane to Africa this week and will not go south for another week (12-16 November). Why not?

Because he has to allow time for various vaccinations – notably against hepatitis – to take effect. Sadly there is not yet a vaccination against Ebola.