* * Ebola Discussion

[Texas Star]

It has been confirmed that an un-named health care worker at Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas has got Ebola. A doctor has just basically dodged meaningful questions at a press conference in Dallas. He seemed very uneasy and a little nervous, as did Mayor Mike Rawlings and others.

In other Ebola news, Mayor Rawlings has confirmed that cleanup techniques are now being applied to the entire The Ivy apartment complex where Ebola victim Duncan was staying. Previously, they said that only the apartment where Duncan was present needed treatment.

The doctor did confirm that the medical worker who is infected wore protective clothing while dealing with the late Mr. Duncan.

I've felt all along that officials knew more than they were telling while trying to head off panic. Now, this particular worker has contracted what they said was almost impossible to get unless one contacted Duncan's bodily fluids. The doctor refused to say what the role of the worker was, except that he or she was a lower tier person not deemed to be in a high risk group. And that he/she was wearing protective gear!

This just gets worse all the time. They need to stop flights from entering the US from West Africa. I'd make a suggestion about that, but it'd probably violate board rules re political content.

Please pray for this new victim and for all others who may contract this awful disease. I don't think we've heard the last of it. And it's hitting awfully close to home for me. My allergist's office is near Presbyterian and I don't live all that far away, myself, by car. I'm sure that some workers at Presby shop where I do and live near me.

I'm not terrified, but am very concerned. I was missing my daughter. Now, I'm glad that she and her family moved to another state earlier this year. They're likely safer there, especially as she has young kids in school.

 

[billwill]

Scary stuff. We need to close the gates in certain parts of the world. Just remember the world is a lot smaller than it use to be.

 

[diamonback68]

And let the PANIC begin. That's exactly what the media has been trying to stir up.
I believe we should all be cautious, but not hysterical which is what they want.

 

[boykinlp]

The doctor did confirm that the medical worker who is infected wore protective clothing while dealing with the late Mr. Duncan.

I've felt all along that officials knew more than they were telling while trying to head off panic. Now, this particular worker has contracted what they said was almost impossible to get unless one contacted Duncan's bodily fluids. The doctor refused to say what the role of the worker was, except that he or she was a lower tier person not deemed to be in a high risk group. And that he/she was wearing protective gear!

This just gets worse all the time. They need to stop flights from entering the US from West Africa. I'd make a suggestion about that, but it'd probably violate board rules re political content.

I don't think that anybody wants hysterical, but to me, it is pretty scary. This newest case really is a game changer if the person was wearing protective gear! IMO bringing these folks to the US is a huge mistake!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DeadAye]

I don't think that anybody wants hysterical, but to me, it is pretty scary. This newest case really is a game changer if the person was wearing protective gear! IMO bringing these folks to the US is a huge mistake!!!!!!!!!!

Huge mistake?
Sorta depends on the results you want whether this is a mistake or a gambit.....
I've been trying to figure out who's running this country - I can't.

 

[GatorFarmer]

A quick check on CNN calls her a nurse, but I find myself wondering if she was a CNA. Though an important chain in care, CNAs are sometimes called "butt wipers", owing to a frequent unpleasant part of the job. CNAs are low paid and the training is not as thorough as it should be at times unfortunately.

If you really want to get worried though...maybe the assumption that she contracted it at the hospital is incorrect. Perhaps the gear worked fine and was used properly, but there could already exist another unknown reservoir of infection in the Dallas area.

Most likely though...a simple mistake was made, perhaps in removing the gear. It happens all the time, that is why MRSA is a problem in hospitals.

 

[Texas Star]

What's MRSA?

 

[Krell1]

I googled how ebola is transmitted person to person and it said by contact with bodily fluids. I googled how the common cold is transmitted and it said by contact with bodily fluids. Basically sneezing can transmit either one if you think about it. The wording for both was similar. Suppose a person with ebola, even without symptoms yet, is traveling by any sort of mass transit. He or she could leave germs on armrests etc leaving the next person to come in contact with the disease. Airlines do quick turn arounds on flights with very little cleaning aside from trash pickup so how can we be sure we're not being exposed.

I'm not panicking but I also don't want to be the person who proves it can be contracted like a common cold.

 

[Texas Star]

I googled how ebola is transmitted person to person and it said by contact with bodily fluids. I googled how the common cold is transmitted and it said by contact with bodily fluids. Basically sneezing can transmit either one if you think about it. The wording for both was similar. Suppose a person with ebola, even without symptoms yet, is traveling by any sort of mass transit. He or she could leave germs on armrests etc leaving the next person to come in contact with the disease. Airlines do quick turn arounds on flights with very little cleaning aside from trash pickup so how can we be sure we're not being exposed.
I'm not panicking but I also don't want to be the person who proves it can be contracted like a common cold.

Good point, and I bet that many of those health workers ride the bus and train. I have been in that hospital and a very high percentage of workers there fit the profile for persons likely to do that.

Moreover, Dallas taxi drivers overwhelmingly fit the profile for people likely to come in contact with persons likely to live near where Duncan did or in that very complex. Some come from countries where the virus is prevalent.

 

[loknload]

It's time to shut down travel to and from that part of the world. We do not need to take any more chances with this. It should not be up to TSA employees to be pre-screening these people either.
If the Goobers of Government want to keep this type of approach then let them put medical staff at these locations to do the job.
I think they need to take the old Ellis Island approach, in fact Ellis Island still should be operating!

 

[GatorFarmer]

MRSA information MRSA infection Definition - Diseases and Conditions - Mayo Clinic

Basically it is an antibiotic resistant staph infection that often spreads in hospitals because of lapses in infection control.

Reading more articles has the new case referenced as a "health care worker" and not nurse, which further suggests "CNA".

I did discover a reference to the new case having a pet, though not what sort. Dogs are believed to be asymptomatic carriers, I am not sure about cats.

The They are not spelling it out in articles, but decontamination of a living space means losing most of your belongings. I suspect once this becomes common knowledge, that some people will just choose to stick it out at home and not report their symptoms or at least be more reluctant to.

What will be worrisome is if the new case was an immigrant with friends and associates of an undocumented nature who are working all over the Dallas food service industry. If that is the case, I would suggest preparing your own meals and eating out of cans for a while...

 

[ibewbull]

Credible sources.

This is the best place for information.

There is a lot of mis information and propaganda out there.
I have even seen blogs made up to look like official CDC pages.
So please be aware that some folks are feeding and promoting panic for some evil purpose. I don't know what agenda they have and am pretty sure it is not a coordinated "conspiracy."
My whole point is check your sources please.


Best source >>
Safe Management of Patients with Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in U.S. Hospitals | Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever | CDC

 

[george minze]

Let us hope the studies are correct...already some specialist are wondering why the disease has spread to some that had little or no physical contact. we have become shy for some reason with the world in general. Those Marines that were sent to west Africa I hope are armed and can defend themselves...No telling what they will come up against over there. As to being shy why for Gods sake don't we get the Marine with PD home from Mexico...One call from the president commenting on the possibility of closing the border for one week could cause the Mexican government to fall if that in fact were to become a reality...Being shy isn't one of our best traits or wasn't......How about lets do what is best for the U.S. when has that become a bad thing?

 

[mod34]

One issue that has not been fully discussed or documented is how exactly to prove an environment (surfaces, equipment, supplies,etc....)has or have been effectively decontaminated. This IMHO, is a much bigger issue than actually caring for someone who clearly has the disease.

 

[loknload]

I guess his family are all medical experts? I guess then he should of stayed where he came from for better care?
One thing that really irritates me is when people like this cry and whine when things don't work out. Duncan knew exactly what he was doing when he boarded that plane. Maybe he should have fessed up in the homeland and started medical treatment sooner.

 

[A10]

It doesn't seem to me that much is being done to reduce the public fear. We have talking heads come on and say "nothing to see here", we have the dubious action of asking Homeland Security to fill out questionnaires, we have purportedly trained health care workers contracting the virus from the one known patient (you'd think with only one patient they could get a handle on it), and they are sending Marines to West Africa to combat the virus? I pray to God this doesn't happen, but I am betting one or more of these guys contracts the virus.

This is not being handled well.

 

[labworm]

Yup, we do strange things here in the US.

Agent Orange

 

[PALADIN85020]

Yup, we do strange things here in the US.

Agent Orange

We sure do. I'd like to see a resurrected George Patton in charge; he had a habit of getting things straightened out damn quick.

John

 

[chaparrito]

Here's what I don't get. Duncan went to the hospital. So did that deputy up in Nevada (who tested negative), then this "health care worker" goes walking in to a hospital. Why the heck don't these people stay home and CALL the hospital?

 

[Ματθιας]

Here's what I don't get. Duncan went to the hospital. So did that deputy up in Nevada (who tested negative), then this "health care worker" goes walking in to a hospital. Why the heck don't these people stay home and CALL the hospital?

If the ebols folks called the hospital, the hospital folks would tell them to come in, would they not?