October 17, 2014 5:16 PM

Updated: Gov. Perry changes his tune on a travel ban in response to Ebola outbreak; Sen. Davis joins him in calling for travel ban

Meantime the Texas Task Force on Infectious Disease unveils its first round of recommendations

Note: This story is updated throughout as of 5:16pm – SB

After previously saying that enhanced screening of travelers for Ebola would be a better alternative than banning travel to and from countries dealing with outbreaks of the disease, Gov. Perry on Friday called on the Obama Administration to end air travel from those countries. Perry’s office said that he personally told President Obama that’s what he should do during a phone call on Thursday.

“Air travel is how this disease crosses borders, and it’s certainly how it got here to Texas,” Perry said. Over the last week or so, Perry had been criticized by some on the right for not joining other conservatives in calling for a travel ban. Meantime, Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Ft. Worth, became the latest high-profile Democrat to join Perry and other Republicans in calling for a travel ban.

In fairness to Perry, the situation has changed since he was first asked about the travel ban by Quorum Report during a Capitol press conference. “Based on recent and ongoing developments, I believe it is the right policy to ban air travel from countries that have been hit hardest by the Ebola outbreak, provided there’s an exception for aid workers to continue their important work fighting this disease,” Perry said.

For her part, Sen. Davis said a travel ban is just common sense.

By Scott Braddock