[billethkid]

Originally Posted by sunnyatlast

NY Times -
What We’re Afraid to Say About Ebola
By MICHAEL T. OSTERHOLM
SEPTEMBER 11, 2014

...... "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......"

Michael T. Osterholm is the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.

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

So let us assume the risks are real. Future actions and plans are based on developing realistic expectations of what COULD happen or COULD go wrong.
Then developing a preventative action plan BEFORE things begin to ramp up and move quickly.

Waiting until it does become airborne......no not even airborn.....WAITING to see what the current strain does before executing a plan (executing assumes there is a plan).

Do not wait and see what the government will do (or more importantly not do)....educate oneself now and take appropriate steps to the best of one's ability/capability to protect yourself and your family.

Just remember in the event of an outbreak the usual medical treatment availability will not exist. The system will very quickly become overwhelmed.

Plan ahead as mucgh as is practical.

[dplars]

My motto has been to plan for the worse and hope for the best, good practice these days. I agree, the government will try to minimize the risk, most of our bureaucrats are now politicians(eg: IRS, HHS, NSA, etc.) and will spew the company line. Take care of yourself and try to build the immune system. Now I wonder how to handle he cruise already booked in December? Anyone have a hazmat suit?

[fb32162]

Ebola is wide spread in Africa in large part because religious practices include family members bathing the deceased. They do this without gloves so the disease is transmitted rapidly through a country. While it is highly contagious, transmission on the magnitude seen in African countries is unlikely.

[sunnyatlast]

Originally Posted by billethkid

So let us assume the risks are real. Future actions and plans are based on developing realistic expectations of what COULD happen or COULD go wrong.
Then developing a preventative action plan BEFORE things begin to ramp up and move quickly.

Waiting until it does become airborne......no not even airborn.....WAITING to see what the current strain does before executing a plan (executing assumes there is a plan).

Do not wait and see what the government will do (or more importantly not do)....educate oneself now and take appropriate steps to the best of one's ability/capability to protect yourself and your family.

Just remember in the event of an outbreak the usual medical treatment availability will not exist. The system will very quickly become overwhelmed.

Plan ahead as mucgh as is practical.

Limit airline travel from West Africa to this country until containment/treatment facilities are built there and here. Period.

An outbreak of dying and dead workers, or workers refusing to go to work amongst our biggest hospitals' doctors, nurses, techs, and paramedic-firefighters will debilitate our whole infrastructure, leading to chaos. It is the "perfect storm" brewing to take our nation down.

[Rags123]

Originally Posted by Sandtrap328

It is kind of amazing to see the politicians who have spoken out against having Federal government being too big are now saying there should be a "czar" in charge of the Ebola problem.

Personally, I think if a person has been in or traveled through any of the West African countries in the past 45 days, they should not be allowed entrance to the US for three months.

I think most who ".....have spoken out against having Federal government being too big" are referring to issues where individual states should and have traditionally taken charge...this is the growth opposed.

This case of Ebola, according to our constitution, if anyone cares, clearly falls into the preview of the federal government.

By the way, about a month ago, someone on here said....what can the federal government do.....I repeat...there are over 1300 visas involving folks in the critical areas. ONLY the President, I think he is the only one..will stand corrected if congress can also, but my understanding he is the only person that can prevent entry from those critical countries. I repeat what I said.....stop, at least those with the highest potential for bringing this virus into the USA.

[eweissenbach]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNhnZZw38Og]Jon Stewart: Save Americans From Ebola & ISIS, But Not From Guns & Heart Disease (Pt 1) - YouTube[/ame]

[Rags123]

Originally Posted by eweissenbach

Jon Stewart: Save Americans From Ebola & ISIS, But Not From Guns & Heart Disease (Pt 1) - YouTube

Not sure what this sarcastic piece of comedy has to do with anything.

Ebola kills, maybe not all americans but quite a few other human beings and needs to be restricted.

ISIS kills, maybe not all americans (yet) but maybe we should not care about any human beings other than americans....isnt that how we got where we are, ie. ignoring the children being shot in the streets in Syria ?

Not sure what message to take here. Obviously you and he both think these are not serious issues and need to make your pol....cal point with sarcasm.

So, your feeling on Ebola which is the subject of this thread is NOT to close anyone out....no matter where they are from.

So, your feeling on ISIS and Ebola together is that.....searching for the right word...not sure whether to say "a network" or a "par.y" feels that these are not issues to be concerned about ( I only say that because the video was pretty straightforward on its presentation and drift).

Well, I disagree....I find both of them to be serious issues and not something I think is remotely funny at all !

[tomwed]

We have a lot to be worried about: heart disease, cancer, diabetes, alzheimer's. As for diseases, ebola is just the blackboard special of the day. For a little while, every time I opened my mail I worried about anthrax.

[Sandtrap328]

I do not see a need to panic about Ebola but definitely to take precautions. This should include restrictions on entry to US from travelers from or through West African countries.

More restrictions may be needed later.

[gomoho]

5 people on a plane that landed in Boston exhibiting possible symptoms of Ebola. So now what do we do with the 5 and do the other passengers have to live on the plane for the next 21 days in case they also exhibit symptoms?

Also I'm curious - if I present myself to the ER with symptoms described as Ebola and state I have just returned from Africa does everyone go run and put on a hazmat suit and do they immediately begin disinfecting the ER where I have been sitting? Oh, and did I mention I felt too ill to drive myself so I took the bus or called a cab. And yes I did cough and spit during that transportation. Too many bizarre possibilities how this
can spread so isn't a no brainer to contain it in the country it is?

[sunnyatlast]

Originally Posted by gomoho

5 people on a plane that landed in Boston exhibiting possible symptoms of Ebola. So now what do we do with the 5 and do the other passengers have to live on the plane for the next 21 days in case they also exhibit symptoms?

Also I'm curious - if I present myself to the ER with symptoms described as Ebola and state I have just returned from Africa does everyone go run and put on a hazmat suit and do they immediately begin disinfecting the ER where I have been sitting? Oh, and did I mention I felt too ill to drive myself so I took the bus or called a cab. And yes I did cough and spit during that transportation.

Too many bizarre possibilities how this can spread, so isn't a no brainer to contain it in the country it is?

Well, this Ebola epidemic running unrestricted certainly has gotten Ukraine, Syria, ISIS, an Al Qaeda & Taliban-loving beheader in Oklahoma, and the next promised beheadings off the TV and computer screen…..a month before the elections.

A google search of 'news Alton Nolen Oklahoma beheading' brings up 191,000 results with the most recent article being October 1…..two weeks ago.

[billethkid]

Originally Posted by sunnyatlast

Well, this Ebola epidemic running unrestricted certainly has gotten Ukraine, Syria, ISIS, an Al Qaeda & Taliban-loving beheader in Oklahoma, and the next promised beheadings off the TV and computer screen…..a month before the elections.

A google search of 'news Alton Nolen Oklahoma beheading' brings up 191,000 results with the most recent article being October 1…..two weeks ago.

Hmmnnnnnn.....maybe there was more to the statement made a few weeks when a certain politician said certain things are "MANAGEABLE"!!!!

[gomoho]

OMG - I can't take it anymore.

[kittygilchrist]

Originally Posted by tuccillo

It is hard to get. It dies quickly outside the body. You need a fluid exchange. We can disagree on the definition of "hard to get" but you need direct contact with an infected person and they not contagious until symptoms develop. It could be much easier to be infected.

Obama Orders Immediate Federal Action To Help Halt Spread Of Ebola

What? I thought it was not coming to the USA... I was relying on the gov to make ebola stay out...oh dear.

And it is so hard to get that professionally trained medical personnel get it taking their gloves off touching one wrist with the other glove.

[dbussone]

I'm sorry but as a former Heathcare provider there is plenty to worry about. The basis of infection control is avoidance. Avoidance consists, among other things, of keeping a potentially infected population out of our country, while also making sure we are using appropriate protection in the event someone here develops symptoms. What our "leaders" and CDC are doing is practicing political correctness.

The CDC is behind the curve already and our hospitals, with a few exceptions are not prepared.

I'm recently retired but my friends still in the business suggest we could be in deep trouble.