A Dallas healthcare worker diagnosed with Ebola.

[FlightlessDuck]

So why drag it up again?

To make a point.

 

[Jedana]

It is now December 2nd.

116 pages of this thread of hemming and hawing. People worried about a pandemic hitting the US.

0 cases as of right now. ZERO cases. There were only ever two people infected in the United States. TWO.

That woman put into quarantine in NJ and then went back home to Maine? Not infected.

I'm more worried about the Black Plague breaking out in Madagascar.

Everytime I've played that game, Madagascar shuts its borders too soon, and I lose. But if you start in Madagascar, you win!

*referring to Pandemic, a video game, for those who are wondering...*

 

[Deb in IA]

Indeed.

Science, not hysteria, wins in the end.

As did Kaci Hickox, and not the governors.

 

[gottaluvPluto]

I think majority of people on this thread were not worried about a pandemic hitting the US.

I think people on this thread wanted to discuss Ebola, numerous mistakes that were made and how the officials handled everything from communication to care. It was fascinating how information changed and how issues were handled with the CDC and other officials.

 

[mnrose]

Indeed.

Science, not hysteria, wins in the end.

As did Kaci Hickox, and not the governors.

Got to love science.

While people can now rewrite history, the level of concern about EBOLA in the US a month ago was simply ridiculous.

Those of us who weren't obsessed about the "dangers" were told we were putting our heads in the sand.

I never felt like there was ANY serious risk to the general population. And, still don't.

It was contained. And, now it's over. Just as the CDC said from the very beginning...if people actually listened to what was being said.

 

[missbrooke06]

Got to love science.

While people can now rewrite history, the level of concern about EBOLA in the US a month ago was simply ridiculous.

Those of us who weren't obsessed about the "dangers" were told we were putting our heads in the sand.

I never felt like there was ANY serious risk to the general population. And, still don't.

It was contained. And, now it's over. Just as the CDC said from the very beginning...if people actually listened to what was being said.

Yep. I'm proud of myself for how rational I was (OCD here) about it. I'm also thrilled a vaccine is in testing stages - not that I'll get it but hopefully we'll be able to supply it to nations that are at risk.

 

[OhMari]

I do not feel it is over.
Procedures are now in place. Do you think they stopped screening at airports?
Our servicemen are still building hospitals, clinics. I think they asked reporters to stop reporting, to get the hysteria to die down, guess what, it worked. I am going to be sarcastic here, but Miley Cyrus is dating Patrick Schwartzenegger and another Kardashian posed naked for a magazine. That is what is making the Headline News.

 

[Smileybug]

I do not feel it is over.
Procedures are now in place. Do you think they stopped screening at airports?
Our servicemen are still building hospitals, clinics. I think they asked reporters to stop reporting, to get the hysteria to die down, guess what, it worked. I am going to be sarcastic here, but Miley Cyrus is dating Patrick Schwartzenegger and another Kardashian posed naked for a magazine. That is what is making the Headline News.

I agree with you on this!!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I read somewhere that there was a case a few weeks ago but it was kept quiet.

My interest in Ebola is primarily from the perspective of a health care worker who may have to care for patients with the disease. I'm game, but I want to see that I'm going to be given the proper equipment and support to do so.

And it looks like Boston may be up next.

Suspected Ebola Patient Being Treated at Boston's Mass General Hospital

 

[Hrhpd]

I do not feel it is over.
Procedures are now in place. Do you think they stopped screening at airports?
Our servicemen are still building hospitals, clinics. I think they asked reporters to stop reporting, to get the hysteria to die down, guess what, it worked. I am going to be sarcastic here, but Miley Cyrus is dating Patrick Schwartzenegger and another Kardashian posed naked for a magazine. That is what is making the Headline News.

Who is "they?" Who asked the media to stop reporting?

The media stopped reporting on November 5. Pretty telling why the hysteria died down.

Since then, Dr. Martin Salia was flown in to Nebraska from Sierra Leone in the end stages of Ebola, but could not be saved. Again, science wins out, nobody was infected, none of the medical staff was infected, although they are still within the incubation period.

They hysteria died down because the election was over and because it was not a story anymore. It was getting harder and harder to create hysteria when science was debunking it at every turn.

People can fly on planes, go bridal shopping, go bowling, ride the train, all within the incubation period and NOBODY else catches it. You can even live in the same house with a person in the infectious stage and nobody contracts the disease. Not much of a story there to rile up the masses.

So, on to the next "scandal."

 

[DopeyDame]

I think saying "science wins out" is vastly over simplifying what happened, and is actually a pretty dangerous attitude.

When you are dealing with communicable diseases, you are dealing with science AND human factors. You absolutely can't ignore the science but you also can't ignore human nature and the reality of how procedures may or may not be implemented.

Fortunately, it seemed that we learned pretty quickly, and hopefully those lessons stick:
1. Local hospitals aren't - and shouldn't be expected to be - the right location for treating something like ebola. The only place where it was transferred in the US is in a local, unprepared hospital. Joe-schmoe-community-hospital isn't expected to treat highly complicated or unusual cases. They will ship micro-premies to regional centers more highly trained. They will ship advanced or complicated cancer patients to specialty centers. Clearly, once detected, ebola patients should be treated in the handful of specialty centers across the country.
2. We can't trust people to maintain voluntary quarantine on their own. Perhaps in the case of ebola it's not that critical, but it's clear that in more easily spread diseases (say an outbreak of TB or the plague), we need some procedures in place to make sure those who may have been exposed actually limit contact as appropriate.
3. Many medical professionals don't feel prepared to deal with unusual diseases or mass outbreaks. This ties back to #1, but it seems we need some better training to delineate responsibility. In the case of ebola, all hospitals around the country need the ability to detect it and to maintain a quick and immediate quarantine - this clearly requires some additional training. But no, they shouldn't be expected to treat it.

 

[JanaDee]

Got to love science.

While people can now rewrite history, the level of concern about EBOLA in the US a month ago was simply ridiculous.

Those of us who weren't obsessed about the "dangers" were told we were putting our heads in the sand.

I never felt like there was ANY serious risk to the general population. And, still don't.

It was contained. And, now it's over. Just as the CDC said from the very beginning...if people actually listened to what was being said.

It isn't over, unless Ebola has been eradicated, which if it has, I haven't heard.

 

[mnrose]

It isn't over, unless Ebola has been eradicated, which if it has, I haven't heard.

It's a non-issue in the US. Since I don't travel to West Africa (as I suspect is true of 99+% of Americans), it's over for me. It was NEVER a major issue in the US, except for the media frenzy. That was a big deal. The disease itself? Not so much.

 

[Hrhpd]

I think saying "science wins out" is vastly over simplifying what happened, and is actually a pretty dangerous attitude.

When you are dealing with communicable diseases, you are dealing with science AND human factors. You absolutely can't ignore the science but you also can't ignore human nature and the reality of how procedures may or may not be implemented.

Fortunately, it seemed that we learned pretty quickly, and hopefully those lessons stick:
1. Local hospitals aren't - and shouldn't be expected to be - the right location for treating something like ebola. The only place where it was transferred in the US is in a local, unprepared hospital. Joe-schmoe-community-hospital isn't expected to treat highly complicated or unusual cases. They will ship micro-premies to regional centers more highly trained. They will ship advanced or complicated cancer patients to specialty centers. Clearly, once detected, ebola patients should be treated in the handful of specialty centers across the country.
2. We can't trust people to maintain voluntary quarantine on their own. Perhaps in the case of ebola it's not that critical, but it's clear that in more easily spread diseases (say an outbreak of TB or the plague), we need some procedures in place to make sure those who may have been exposed actually limit contact as appropriate.
3. Many medical professionals don't feel prepared to deal with unusual diseases or mass outbreaks. This ties back to #1, but it seems we need some better training to delineate responsibility. In the case of ebola, all hospitals around the country need the ability to detect it and to maintain a quick and immediate quarantine - this clearly requires some additional training. But no, they shouldn't be expected to treat it.

These are all good points and should be heeded.

However, when I refer to media created hysteria being debunked by science, I am talking about the fear mongering the media was engaged in. Just read this thread. There are plenty of people who re-posted dubious articles with no basis in scientific fact, passed off by the media as fact. All those articles were meant to do is cause fear and discontent.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

It's a non-issue in the US. Since I don't travel to West Africa (as I suspect is true of 99+% of Americans), it's over for me. It was NEVER a major issue in the US, except for the media frenzy. That was a big deal. The disease itself? Not so much.

Well thankfully you won't have to deal with it if it appears one day in your workplace. I can't say the same.

 

[pigletgirl]

It's a non-issue in the US. Since I don't travel to West Africa (as I suspect is true of 99+% of Americans), it's over for me. It was NEVER a major issue in the US, except for the media frenzy. That was a big deal. The disease itself? Not so much.

Depends who you talk too. Someone who works a major healthcare facility has the potential to care for someone with Ebola.

 

[Deb in IA]

Well thankfully you won't have to deal with it if it appears one day in your workplace. I can't say the same.

Depends who you talk too. Someone who works a major healthcare facility has the potential to care for someone with Ebola.

I work in health care, and I feel much safer and much better prepared now than I did 2 months ago.

We have had multiple mandatory briefings and training on Ebola, all of our entry points use screening questions, and if anything is screened positive, we have the procedures, designated isolation units, and protective equipment to deal appropriately with any potential cases - of which, we have had zero.

 

[indygirl99]

I read somewhere that there was a case a few weeks ago but it was kept quiet.

My interest in Ebola is primarily from the perspective of a health care worker who may have to care for patients with the disease. I'm game, but I want to see that I'm going to be given the proper equipment and support to do so.

And it looks like Boston may be up next.

Suspected Ebola Patient Being Treated at Boston's Mass General Hospital

I think one thing the media exposure did was make us (hospitals, healthcare workers) aware of issues that needed addressed.

The hospital system I work for has set up a team of nurses who received 2 full days of training on hazmat gear, EVD, and other highly infectious diseases. We practiced putting on and taking off the gear and we also practiced being the spotter to make sure the nurse providing the care and taking off the suit did it correctly 100% of the time. We also reviewed EVD symptoms and treatment.

The front line people, ER clerks, clinic staff etc got training on questions to ask to screen patient and how to put on and take of isolation gear while they are waiting on the team to come in are take the patient to a special containment room modeled after Emery's unit.

I volunteered for this training and have to say that I am impressed with the training we received and how our system has handled this. They are being very proactive.

Another thing that I am sure most people don't realize is that we STILL have people on home quarantine and will as long as we have workers who are helping out in West Africa. We just don't hear about it in the media anymore.

I hope your hospital is providing training. Just remember in the early stages it is not as infectious as the late stages. If you are transferring out to a regional center you are fine with your usual gown, gloves, mask etc. Make sure all skin is covered and double glove. If you are the regional center and work in the ICU please ask for hazmat training. I've done the training before and I was quite rusty in my training last week.