Anyone worried about Ebola?

gverdugo

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Sep 21, 2014
Messages
121
Purraise
7
Location
Estados Unidos
I think they are up to about 130 people quarantined here in Texas, but it ends in a day or two for 48 of them.

It is getting a little ridiculous. They canceled a game at my nephew's high school tonight so that they could shut down the school and clean it--all because a parent of one of the kids was on the same flight as the nurse that traveled from here to Ohio and back. They are even making the kid stay home from school for two weeks.
Hey! Vacation! LOL. 

To answer the question, I'm not too terribly worried, not yet. I am big on hand sanitizer (just to avoid getting the flu and whatnot) so that has been amped up a little. I'm not living in an area where there have been any tangible Ebola scares (knock on wood). 

From what I understand, the family that was living in the same apartment as our patient Zero (Mr. Duncan, the guy who came from Africa) are almost ready to get out of quarantine. They were living with him when he started to display symptoms, and so far none of them have come down with it? (Unless something changes within the next few days?) That should tell you something. Yes, it's a scare, a risk, but if a family can live with a guy who has it, and live with him when he starts to 'not feel well' (fever, etc) and they never catch it, then I guess it's not super contagious, at least at the earlier stages.

What I understand is that it becomes far more contagious in the later stages. That's why those poor nurses contacted it. They were caring for him when he was violently ill, vomiting, and so forth. Lots of bodily fluids around, and all of that highly contagious.

Most of us, when we go out and about in public, are not likely to meet up with someone who is suffering from the later stages of Ebola. When they are that sick, they won't be wandering around in shopping malls.

I am frustrated to hear about how ill-prepared the hospital was for this. But to be fair, it probably seemed so far-fetched for it to happen in the first place. But now all hospitals have to get with the program and really take the risk seriously. 
 
Last edited:

denice

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 7, 2006
Messages
18,823
Purraise
13,097
Location
Columbus OH
Hopefully the hospital made mistakes because they didn't know what they were dealing with.  I know here in Ohio they have given health care workers training on getting into the full hazmat gear.  More importantly training on getting out of the gear after exposure.
 

Winchester

In the kitchen with my cookies
Veteran
Joined
Aug 28, 2009
Messages
29,722
Purraise
27,991
Location
In the kitchen
You know, I'm not worried about it....at least not yet. What I do feel is frustration and anger at the press for blowing it all out of proportion, something the press is very skilled at doing; that's pretty much all you see on CNN, for example. I'm angry at the politicians for making the disease political and blaming the "other party" for not doing anything. And I'm frustrated at the idiots who think that quarantine regulations don't apply to them (Nancy Silverman, for example). 

The panic in some areas is unbelievable. There are people on another board that I frequent who are screaming that the sky is falling, that this is the end, that we're all gonna die. It's ridiculous.

I'm already tired of reading/seeing/watching it.
 

yoohoora

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Oct 16, 2014
Messages
112
Purraise
19
Location
Canada
I am not worried about Ebola in my homeland, which is Canada.  The virus is blood born, and although it is highly infectious with a staggering mortality rate, it is very hard to get.  I feel confidant that any cases over here will be contained.  I am worried about the people in West Africa, though, and hope we can get enough support and supplies there to help them contain the outbreak.  If we don't get it under control there, Ebola will be with us the way AIDS is, in my opinion.  I hope we've learned enough to realize how important it is to take steps while we still can. 

I'm not worried about getting AIDS, either.  Like AIDS when it first came on the scene, there is a lot of misinformation out there about Ebola and how it is passed on.  And the news media is not helping.  I can't believe how irresponsible CNN is being by calling it an epidemic in the US.  Only one person has died, and two nurses who treated him have come down with the virus.  That's three people.  More people died from falling icicles last winter than have died from Ebola.  The Flu is a much bigger threat, imo.  So, get your flu shot and watch out for falling icicles this winter.  haha 
 

cocheezie

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Jan 6, 2014
Messages
954
Purraise
101
Location
Great White North
There are no direct flights from west Africa to my part of Canada. Also, apparently most of the hospitals in the province already exceed the guidelines. We went through a SARS epidemic a number of years back and everything was put under a microscope. We have been told that there are protocols and practices ready for such a situation (until it turns out that we aren't).
 

slykat12

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Dec 17, 2013
Messages
484
Purraise
123
Location
Torrance, California
Up to 49K people die of the flu in the USA in one year. We had 1 Ebola death and the guy did not get it here. It is natural that all animal populations have diseases. Aren't we lucky we have the brains to cure them?! BTW nurse number 2 is completely clear.
 
Last edited:

muffy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 9, 2014
Messages
6,198
Purraise
12,664
Location
Fredericksburg, VA
I'm not the least bit concerned about Ebola. I have too many other things to worry about. Maybe if I lived in Africa but I don't. 
 

di and bob

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 12, 2012
Messages
16,547
Purraise
22,888
Location
Nebraska, USA
Being a nurse, I'm not too concerned yet, but as each case appears it gets a little harder to ignore. You know, if these people are being exposed in Africa and the United States is letting them come back, WHY aren't they in quarantine for possibly having it? Shouldn't we be sure on something like this? That Dr. in New York wasn't feeling good at all, and yet he went all over town and bowling?!!! And as far as not being airborne, if you sneezed on a handle, or just sneezed in someones face, aren't the droplets 'body fluids'? I just don't think we are taking this seriously enough, we don't have too much to worry about here, but to be so lenient on people from known Ebola countries is worrisome.
 

blueyedgirl5946

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Sep 10, 2005
Messages
14,593
Purraise
1,695
I am very concerned. I believe our government is not taking this issue seriously enough. In my opinion, people leaving an infected country should have to stay out the quarantine time there. Just saying.. :nod:
 

zoneout

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Messages
992
Purraise
99
Location
Stamford, CT USA
Yeah but the government can't even keep illegal aliens out of the country so they have no shot at containing Ebola virus.
 
Last edited:

slykat12

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Dec 17, 2013
Messages
484
Purraise
123
Location
Torrance, California
With the 21 day incubation period and vague symptoms it is pretty tough. However, it is not big deal as it is transmitted by body fluids like AIDS. It is not like we vomit all over each over or play in each others blood.

Lets worry about real issues . Scientific papers show the family members living side by side with victims do not even get it. Just go to any medical library to take a look yourself.

The only people that get it are healthcare people like me because we touch your snot, pee, poo, vomit and blood every day .TY 

BTW we just cured both nurses.

Blaming the government makes no sense they knew nothing about it until 3/4 of the people diagnosed were already here. And it really is not a big deal. I listen to scientists and doctors not politicians or newscasters that want to blame the government for everything and have a "juicy" story.

Diseases are a normal part of life.
 
Last edited:

blueyedgirl5946

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Sep 10, 2005
Messages
14,593
Purraise
1,695
di and bob di and bob and slykat12 slykat12 and any other health care workers, I do pray for safety for all of you and others who are in the health care profession in this country. Let's all hope that we know what we are doing in isolating and stopping this disease from spread in America.
 

slykat12

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Dec 17, 2013
Messages
484
Purraise
123
Location
Torrance, California
TY. One positive thing about me is I did ER forever and I was sick for 10 years in my 20s with weird stuff. I have also traveled around the world in my 30s and again got some weird bugs. Now in my 40s I never get sick. The healthy human body is amazing and does get stronger with exposure to most pathogens.  

Sometimes medical help is required sometimes not.

What I do know is this is not an epidemic and pointing figures is ridiculous and not fair. BTW Reagon waited till there were over 20K deaths from AIDS in the 80s to finally take a look at it. That is an epidemic. Our Pres was concerned after 1.  
 
Last edited:

red top rescue

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Dec 27, 2012
Messages
4,466
Purraise
1,486
Location
Acworth GA, USA
A friend of mine, who is a well-known writer & lecturer on SUPERBUGS, has coined the term EBOLANOIA  for what's making people irrationally paranoid lately..........  There are a lot scarier things out there right now. 
 

yoohoora

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Oct 16, 2014
Messages
112
Purraise
19
Location
Canada
I think the hysteria around Ebola is more dangerous than the disease. It causes unrest that's not necessary. It has the potential to turn neighbour against neighbour, and give the government the justification to further erode rights and freedoms.  And once we surrender those rights, it's hard to get them back. 
 
Top