The writer's excellent credentials are at the end of the article linked in NYTimes....

"The second possibility is one that virologists are loath to discuss openly but are definitely considering in private: that an Ebola virus could mutate to become transmissible through the air. You can now get Ebola only through direct contact with bodily fluids. But viruses like Ebola are notoriously sloppy in replicating, meaning the virus entering one person may be genetically different from the virus entering the next. The current Ebola virus’s hyper-evolution is unprecedented; there has been more human-to-human transmission in the past four months than most likely occurred in the last 500 to 1,000 years. Each new infection represents trillions of throws of the genetic dice.

If certain mutations occurred, it would mean that just breathing would put one at risk of contracting Ebola. Infections could spread quickly to every part of the globe, as the H1N1 influenza virus did in 2009, after its birth in Mexico.

Why are public officials afraid to discuss this? They don’t want to be accused of screaming “Fire!” in a crowded theater — as I’m sure some will accuse me of doing. But the risk is real, and until we consider it, the world will not be prepared to do what is necessary to end the epidemic......

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/12/op...out-ebola.html

What's with Duncan? Perhaps a little OT, but I have heard him described as having a wife and child in Dallas. Saw pictures of his home, it looks like a motel. Yet he was able to travel to W Africa via VA and Brussels? That's an expensive fare, where did the money come from? Is he employed? Is he a resident of the USA?

All people can do is take responsibility for their own health. Cancel any plane reservations, any cruise reservations, stay away from crowds, do not use public restrooms, etc etc etc.

If you take all precautions and still get the virus, you can go out knowing you did all the right things for you and your family.

I absolutely agree. I posted information about HIV, not Ebola.
I remember the SARS epidemic in Canada in 2004, and everyone wearing masks in public places.
The thought that Ebola could mutate into an airborne virus absolutely terrifies me.

Ebola patient in Dallas has died
 

Mr. Duncan has died at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, the hospital said this morning.

Yes, but we depend on the good will of those who have it not to spread it. If someone decides to spread it, it can make another person's life miserable. They might not know they have it for a long time and then they might spread it too. 473,000 people in the U.S. now have HIV/AIDS, according to online statistics. Medicine or no medicine, I don't think it's a very nice thing to have. And the medicine may not be inexpensive.

What about the freedom issue?
 

In the United States Of America, freedom is more important than worrying about the possibility of premature death. We don't limit our freedom to risk premature death due to living a poor lifestyle. We tell people they need to take personal responsibility. So how is this any different?

It's important for people to be free to travel, uninterrupted, to and from Africa. Think of all the many reasons for traveling like business, recreation, weddings and funerals etc.. This comes under the heading of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

It's up to people to control their intake of bodily fluids from others. In other words, they need to take personal responsibility. We don't need government telling us what we can and cannot do.

Anyone disagree? :)

I wish for now that someone in Washington would do some kind of stopping people from traveling here from infected countries.. Now is when it is time to throw out political correctness and call some definitive shots.

AND please don't say the United States is infected...or say is again.

You know who you are.

What about freedom? Not important?

I do.

Okay, now we're getting somewhere. ;) I brought this up because of the many people who are always so protective about the food supply. We have an epidemic of overweight and obese people and many of them die prematurely from diabetes, cancer and heart disease etc. But no one wants the government to ban, tax or regulate junk food. We tell people they need to take personal responsibility, even though we know that most won't.

It seems that death from living a poor lifestyle is okay as long as it's a slow death, compared to Ebola which is a relatively quick death.

I'm just trying to find some consistency.

I disagree!

Villages PL As the boys in Iowa say that dog won't hunt. Your comparison is trailing you elsewhere.

You also discuss freedoms and that is not the issue.

the issue is simply containing something that can easily get out of hand. do you recall the spanish flu , some called it the swine flu that killed millions of people world wide. Experts pointed out in an article in WSJ that Ebola could mutate to be airborne. it can be passed from animals to humans.

You are proceeding from an illogical premise based on inadequate information that is causing you to inaccuratly assess the situation and thus come to an incorrect conclusion.

Some people will die sooner due to heart disease and diabetes perhaps caused by poor diet, but 90 percent of people infected with the ebola virus will die.

Now the news is reporting that another person has come forward with symptoms of ebola who had been with Mr. Duncan.

AND I call on the administration in the WhiteHouse to do something more drastic than to monitor people for symptoms arriving from the three known countries with outbreaks of ebola. What if they spike a fever after they picked their nose and left it on your airplane seat.

This is serious stuff here and we have the opportunity if we act now to slow down the threat of an epidemic here..

:Screen_of_Death: I dont think this issue should become a joking matter,:spoken: That person died in Texzs, BUT HOW MANY PEOPLE DID HE COME IN CONTACT WITH?

Maybe we should quarantine them to a fat farm.

:1rotfl:

The problem with the government's plan is, as evidenced by Mr. Duncan, it will only work if people are truthful. If I was exposed to ebola you better believe I would try to get to the US and tell any lie I need to hoping for a chance for treatment and to live.
Also if symptoms don't show up for 8-21 days after you have been exposed how many folks could come in not knowing they are infected - once again you have to depend on them being truthful - seems like pretty shaky ground to base a plan on. Mr. Duncan has shown us in real life if just one person gets in that is infected what the fall out is. The hospitalization, quarantine of those he came into contact with, monitoring of those he may have come into contact with, decontaminating his apartment and his bedding and towels and what to do with the highly infectious body? Too many consequences to simply say we need to allow freedom of travel - nothing is so important it can't wait till this is over. As far as aid workers coming and going to help that is easily monitored to allow these people to safely enter and exit the country.

The government's lack of urgency, immediacy and aggressive plan has resulted in many loss opportunities.

===

You forgot lack of honesty.

This is why it is so important to take responsibility for your own health. Stay away from air travel, cruise ships, public restrooms, any event with large crowds, and public swimming pools. This way of life may become the new normal.

I'm not sure if we're allowed to copy an article from the online newspaper and post it here.
If not, the Mods will make it disappear.
I thought this was an interesting article .....
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Marion County Fire Rescue initiates Ebola Virus preparedness meeting
October 8, 2014

Marion County Fire Rescue this week held a meeting with representatives from the local medical community to discuss preparing and protecting citizens in the event that Marion County experiences a case of the Ebola virus.

“As of right now, Marion County is not at heightened risk for Ebola cases. However, it is our job as medical professionals to plan and prepare for worst case scenarios,” said Dr. Frank Fraunfelter, Marion County Medical Director.

In addition to MCFR officials and the medical director, representatives from Ocala Regional Medical Center, Munroe Regional Medical Center, the Florida Department of Health in Marion County and the Marion County Public Safety Communications Department attended the meeting.

As a result, dispatchers at the Marion County Public Safety Communications Center will be asking callers if they have traveled outside the country in the past 30 days. Rescue crews will be notified if a patient who is experiencing Ebola-like symptoms has also recently traveled to West Africa. This notification will trigger crews to wear additional protective gear at the scene and while treating the patient.

Currently there are no reported Ebola cases, or potential Ebola cases, in Marion County. However, with international touch-points such as Orlando, Tampa and Miami nearby, officials felt it prudent to be proactive in developing a “what-if plan” for working together should a local case arise.

MCFR and all Marion County hospitals will follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) guidelines for infection control policies and procedures, which include, but are not limited to, familiarizing staff with the appropriate personal protection equipment (PPE), what to do if staff becomes at increased risk for contracting the virus due to direct contact with bodily fluids from an infected person and what procedures should not be performed on an infected patient.

Attached you will find additional information from the Florida Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More information is available at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.

Here are a few facts about the Ebola virus:

· Ebola symptoms include fever, headache, joint and muscle aches, weakness, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain and lack of appetite, and in some cases bleeding.

· Those who have not traveled to West Africa in the past 30 days, and/or have not had contact with a person who has visited this area, are unlikely to contract Ebola.

· Ebola is spread through direct contact with an infected person’s bodily fluids (blood, vomit, sweat or semen).

· Ebola is not transmitted through water or food.

You know VPL, if you want to "find some consistency", perhaps you should stick to topics regarding nutrition.

This isn't about "lifestyle choices" and it isn't about personal freedom. It is about controlling a potential deadly health crisis, not only in this country, but in all countries. And I KNOW that you know this. But yet you to compare it to, and use it as a platform to discuss your favorite topic (food and obesity). WTH is wrong with you?

People are contracting and dying from this virus. I seriously think you need to keep your food and obesity phobias out of these discussions. It is not relevant and it is most certainly not appropriate.

:agree:

The airplane cleaners at LaGuardia are on strike - say they will not clean the planes till they are giving the training and equipment to protect them from a possible infection. Hello administration - are you listening to the people??? Stop this nonsense already.

Not sure everyone in the US should change their plans or lifestyle just because our government refuses to take action that could stop the flow of this disease into our country. Their first priority is to protect the homeland - be it from terrorists or disease.

Speaking of experts, I trust Doctor Frieden, head of CDC, and Dr. Fauci to keep a lid on this. We don't need other experts speculating that it might go airborne with the result of causing a panic. Who's running the show?

The last I heard they were thinking of checking people arriving from Africa, asking questions and taking their temperature. Let's give it some time and see how it plays out. Even if it does become airborne, it can still be contained.

In the mean time, all we can do is be mindful of our intake of bodily fluids from others. That's a lifestyle choice, the same as for HIV/AIDS.

I don't think it's inadequate information:

Yearly deaths due to heart disease: 596,577

Yearly deaths due to cancer: 576,691

That's only the two major (yearly) causes of death in the U.S.

So 90% of people infected with Ebola will die. How many have died so far?
I don't recall even one. Has there been one death yet?

In the mean time, it's a lifestyle issue. Watch your intake of bodily fluids, the same as you would for HIV/AIDS.

I didn't know that you are in charge of setting the rules for this discussion. And you say the rule is: Base the discussion on emotion!!!! Ebola is coming to kill us all!!!

Right now it does boil down to a lifestyle choice. As someone has already said, watch what you do. Don't do anything to put yourself at risk. And I have said: Watch your intake of bodily fluids from others, the same as you would for HIV/AIDS.

Nobody cares about the 596,577 yearly deaths from heart disease and the 576,691 yearly deaths from cancer. It's just a matter of getting used to it.

Ebola has been beaten to death!

[QUOTE=Villages PL;950541
So 90% of people infected with Ebola will die. How many have died so far?
I don't recall even one. Has there been one death yet?[/QUOTE]

In addition to Mr. Duncan, the WHO is reporting 3,439 deaths caused by Ebola.

I would suggest sending all Ebola cases to Syria and Isis and let Allah worry about it.

Ebola is the deadliest virus in the world.
Our government is playing Russian roulette by allowing people from Western Africa to enter this country and then checking them AND THE QUESTION IS NOT IF SOMEONE ENTERS WITH THE DISEASE BUT WHEN SOMEONE WITH THE DISEASE EVADES GOVERNMENTS CHECK WHAT WILL BE THE DEPTH OF THE CONSEQUENCES.

In fact you may find that someone Ebola will intentionally make an attempt to come to America to get what they deem is better care. The government has proven time and time again that they are highly subjected to human error ( I am being kind here).

I would believe that prudence would dictate that travel from West Africa to anywhere be placed on hold until health officials contain this disease. The human and economic cost associated with allowing travelers here is a real problem. why should medical people in this country have to deal with the potential with someone coming here with Ebola whether they are discovered or not and in the latter instance only creates more concern and heavier costs

the Spanish flu of 1918 affected 500 million people worldwide killing millions and this Ebola outbreak has that potential if not contained.

Rubicon - the problem is you are dealing with common sense - something I'm afraid the current administration is seriously lacking. Seems like a no brainer to most of us - contain the virus where it is.

:mademyday::mademyday: Best answer yet, solve two problems at once! :bigbow::bigbow:

That's what gets me about this topic and discussion ... the obvious thing to do (as in screamingly obvious) is to err on the side of caution. That's because the disease, if caught, has a 90% fatality rate. Thus, closing down travel from West Africa makes sense. Keep sending medical teams etc into Africa to fight it ... that also makes sense.

But getting wrapped around the axle because no one had died yet and saying no big deal, or comparing it to heart disease and so forth ... I will withhold comment and simply shake my head. I just hope common sense remains in the majority ... sometimes I wonder.

I have no faith whatsoever in the current government's ability or desire to contain Ebola.

What do you believe previous administrations would have done? What evidence based on historical events can you offer?

Thank you.