EBOLA

[proggosaurus]

As a 28 year employee of a large U.S. based Pharma Company I find this article a bit hard to swallow. The whole African human guinea pig conspiracy thing has been around for years, but there is very little real evidence to support that anything like this, even on a small scale, actually takes place. The Pharma industry is extremely regulated when it comes to any human testing of drugs. Hell, it is extremely regulated when it comes to animal testing too. Meanwhile articles like this throw panic into people, and demean human aid organizations who are trying to do good in this world. I am not saying that there are never abuses by big Pharma or aid organizations, but the sensationalized claims in articles such as this are so completely out of whack that it borders on the ridiculous and scares people away from vaccination programs that are responsible for the eradication (or at least significant reduction) of diseases that plagued mankind for years.

yeah, I'll go with a reality check here as well. most likely started with a fruit bat which is widely considered the original host. it's responsible for thousands of animal deaths in Africa every year, particularly gorillas. at some point though, a carrier coming into contact with a human is inevitable whether as food or just plain bad luck.

[Scott Bails]

Agreed. The US did nothing wrong here. The wrongdoers were Duncan, who lied, and the Texas hospital, whose gross incompetence at virtually every step of the process resulted in (at a minimum) two of its nurses catching the virus. The hospital is going to be paying out millions in damages, even if neither of the nurses die.

Yep. Agree with all of this.

And while I'm not a legal expert at all, I can't believe that nurse from TX who flew on the plane knowing that she had a fever had to have broken some laws, right?

[Dave (in MA)]

And while I'm not a legal expert at all, I can't believe that nurse from TX who flew on the plane knowing that she had a fever had to have broken some laws, right?

linky linky

[Scott Bails]

linky linky

That kind of incompetence is scary.

That said, if I was in contact with an Ebola patient and had anything above a 98.6 temperature, there's no way in hell that I'd be getting on a plane.

I guess common sense really isn't that common.

[Don Arnold]

I guess common sense really isn't that common.

Unfortunately I think some people can ignore common sense when it becomes inconvenient not to.

[3LockBox]

I know one thing, I ain't gonna fly in no airplane.

[Facelift]

Yep. Agree with all of this.

And while I'm not a legal expert at all, I can't believe that nurse from TX who flew on the plane knowing that she had a fever had to have broken some laws, right?

She was not supposed to be allowed to fly. Another breakdown in the system.

[TheLoony]

While it could be argued that she could have used better common sense, she DID contact the CDC before she left and they gave her the go ahead. Surprised?

In the grand scheme of things, I'm nobody. Despite that, I'm 100% sure I could do a better job of handling this situation than Frieden at the CDC or anyone else in charge that has failed. Which is everyone at all points, right now.

I keep reminding myself of problem, reaction, solution. TPTB seem to be nefarious and psychopathic overlords, engaging in plans we can't even comprehend with our puny brains, so only the Gods know where this is all headed.

[ronmac]

As a 28 year employee of a large U.S. based Pharma Company I find this article a bit hard to swallow...

But, it's on the Internet!

Despite that, I'm 100% sure I could do a better job of handling this situation than Frieden at the CDC or anyone else in charge that has failed.

Then go and help them. Show them how to do it right.

[Scott Bails]

Then go and help them. Show them how to do it right.

That's a little snarky, isn't it?

It seems obvious to me that much of this has been mishandled, and much of it comes from a lack of common sense and attention to protocol.

There was a nurse on the Today show this morning, wondering why she was dressing in double gloves and triple booties while her neck was exposed. Seems like a valid question to ask. Too many breakdowns in this whole thing.

[Yves]

The WHO is trying to equip these places with the materials, manpower and the knowledge that would be necessary to do a much better job, but Ebola has the potential to kill millions of people in these poor urban areas of Africa.

I guess we won't get fooled again then, eh? Though without Keith and John I wonder just how effective Pete and Roger can be....

[ronmac]

That's a little snarky, isn't it?

It seems obvious to me that much of this has been mishandled, and much of it comes from a lack of common sense and attention to protocol.

There was a nurse on the Today show this morning, wondering why she was dressing in double gloves and triple booties while her neck was exposed. Seems like a valid question to ask. Too many breakdowns in this whole thing.

Yes, those are all valid questions. But, when someone claims:

I'm 100% sure I could do a better job of handling this situation than Frieden at the CDC or anyone else in charge that has failed.

Calling on them to put their words to action isn't snarky, IMO.

[davis]

I'm more concerned about places around the house where I can potentially stub my toe.

you need a pair of steel-toe slippers

I think you have better odds of getting the flu and often years go by when you don't. So....

y'know, I've never had a flu shot and never had the flu. A couple of years ago, a co-worker got her flu shot, was sick the next day and it lasted about a month.

[Casey]

Ebola is scary.

Fatality rate is high. It can be transmitted via direct contact with infected fluids (ie: blood, semen) & respiratory droplets. If it can cross species & remain infective (ie: monkey to human; bird to human), then watch out. There will be new strain, & probably resistant to any treatment, cropping up every few weeks to months. Add to that a world population that is transient & you have a recipe for a disaster.

You need to contain the bug. Pure & simple. It isn't PC but it will work. When travel was not a common thing, it worked with TB, polio, measles, mumps, even the bubonic plague.

By containment you decrease the spread of the disease & its attendant panic. You get the opportunity to study the virus, figure out its weak spots, & develop treatments that will kill it. If it's spreading all over the place, mutating into newer & more resistant forms, we lose.

I work in a primary care office in Gloucester, MA. This morning our secretary received a call from the secretary from one of our specialty consultants asking if any of our patients recently visited Africa. This is not a manifestation of being pro-active. This is panic.

[Vic2012]

A flu shot is the flu (dead flu cells). I've heard the same stories before, get a flu shot, get sick. I've never had a flu shot either.

By the way, I agree with Ronmac. He's not being snarky.

[davis]

orignially posted by trurl:

Obama skipped a fundriaser? Fuck this is serious.


and Ronmac said:

[JKL2000]

One of my favorite avant garde bands is Nurse With Ebola.

[JKL2000]

I guess we won't get fooled again then, eh? Though without Keith and John I wonder just how effective Pete and Roger can be....

You know where to put the plug!

[Dave (in MA)]

If you like your Nurse With Ebola, you can keep your Nurse With Ebola.

[JKL2000]

The 2014 Ebola breakout was discovered by the Guinea Ministry of Health on March 10th, the same day that the movie Outbreak was released 19 years earlier.

Holy shit!!!

Back in the day I went to see The China Syndrome with my mom. When we arrived home afterward, we turned on the news and the first reports about the Three Mile Island incident were just being broadcast. Yike!

[TheLoony]

But, it's on the Internet!



Then go and help them. Show them how to do it right.

Yep. I'm clearly the problem. I'll get right on that.

[ronmac]

Yep. I'm clearly the problem. I'll get right on that.

No, you're not the problem. But you pretty much indicated that you could be the solution, didn't you?

One big problem with the Ebola outbreak is the hyperbole. And you demonstrated that quite well.

[Richard J T]

Nope. I think we're gonna thin the herd.

Yeah, but unfortunately it'll be equal-opportunity. In short, we'll have fewer people with common-sense (and Lord knows we need more of them at this present time).

[Man In The Mountain]

There was a nurse on the Today show this morning, wondering why she was dressing in double gloves and triple booties while her neck was exposed.

Yeah, and how STUPID can you be to walk into the patients room when you can see your neck is exposed?

I mean seriously?

"Oh, it must not effect the neck area, so let's go in! I'm triple booted just to be safe."

[SteveSly]

There was a nurse on the Today show this morning, wondering why she was dressing in double gloves and triple booties while her neck was exposed. Seems like a valid question to ask. Too many breakdowns in this whole thing.

Yea, that is ridiculous. If you are going to try to limit exposure you need to be covered from head to toe. If it is that contagious leaving any body part exposed is basically the same as wearing nothing at all. Weird………..