Ebola outbreak - general thread #3

[FlamingoLady]

With all due respect, not true.

The house that Louise and her family are in is a TEMPORARY situation. She has NOT been gifted with the house. The house was offered as a temporary solution when the Mayor and County Judge started calling their personal friends asking for relief for an emergency with no answers.

But how crazy is that? I guess that's a topic for another thread but come on! Dallas is a major US city. The Mayor and County Judge are calling around to house someone who was told to stay in their apartment but chose not to? And there's really no plan in place for this? Lord help us if this, or any other major illness/disaster actually happens because the Mayors and Judges are going to run out of friends with houses. There are highly funded govt agencies tasked with just this thing!

 

[animlzrule]

Fact or Fiction?: The Ebola Virus Will Go Airborne

Although clinicians readily agree that the Ebola virus leaps from one person to the next via close contact with blood and other bodily fluids, Osterholm warned that the risk of airborne transmission is “real” and “until we consider it, the world will not be prepared to do what is necessary to end the epidemic.”

But interviews with several infectious diseases experts reveal that whereas such a mutation—or more likely series of mutations—might physically be possible, it’s highly unlikely. In fact, there’s almost no historical precedent for any virus to change its basic mode of transmission so radically.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fact-or-fiction-the-ebola-virus-will-go-airborne/

 

[WichitaFalls]

I agree with your point 100%. The response has been just about as bad as it could be. We hear of training at different levels all the time yet there was not a single procedure on what to do in ONE situation like this. It truly is unbelievable.

Crap . . . I don't seem to know how to respond with quotes. Responding to FlamingoLady.

 

[Harmony 2]

it is NOT factual that this man lied. on any other thread, any other topic, this would not be allowed.

MODS, where are you?

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/03/w...-patient-thomas-duncan-airport-screening.html

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...ent-thomas-duncan-airport-screening/16591753/

http://www.wfaa.com/story/news/crim...uld-be-charged-for-infecting-others/16682973/

 

[FlamingoLady]

I agree with your point 100%. The response has been just about as bad as it could be. We hear of training at different levels all the time yet there was not a single procedure on what to do in ONE situation like this. It truly is unbelievable.

Crap . . . I don't seem to know how to respond with quotes. Responding to FlamingoLady.

Click on "Reply With Quote" BTW, I was stationed at Sheppard AFB back in the 90's. Loved the town of Wichita Falls.

 

[Brightbird]

Yeah, I doubt he applied for the Fiance-Visa because he'd have to get blood-tested, and would have been denied when he did test positive for the symptoms, so he probably got the easier Visa, then figured he'd marry her here. Does she have American citizenship, anybody know???

He got the visa early September (2nd I think). He wouldn't have tested positive for Ebola because he hadn't even been exposed.

 

[passionflower]

wonder why no updates ???

 

[SwampMama]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-03/ebola-patient-came-to-u-s-to-marry-girlfriend.html

Thomas Eric Duncan, the Dallas Ebola patient, came to the U.S. to marry his girlfriend, a local pastor said.............

Duncan arrived in Dallas from Liberia last month, with plans to visit LT and “start a new life in America” with her, according to an e-mail sent yesterday to the congregation of Wilshire Baptist Church, where Troh is a member.

Troh and the others staying at the apartment were moved by Dallas County officials yesterday to an undisclosed location with better living conditions. .....
“Where they were living was a terrible place,” Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said at a news briefing. “They deserved better than that.”

So it seems they did have plans to marry and stay here, no doubt.

I'm sorry, what was it about the place that they were living that made it such a "terrible place"? What is so special about them that "They deserve better than that?"

In light of the fact that we have homeless people, and many others who are worse off, and others who still live in that apartment building, I'm not sure I understand the comments from the Mayor.

 

[kimlynn]

Kimlynn I heard that same snippet of the woman voice demanding that they do more, give him the medicine that the others had gotten and that America was not doing enough for him. I was pretty peeved at that . I imagine their entire family/friend group has been the nenificiary of many financial and supportive help courtesy of American's. Pretty galling that she demands much more and accuses us of not doing enough.

There is no more of the zmapp medicine that she wanted given to him (the one that helped cure 5 of the 7 who got it). It was given to doctors, missionary aids and priests who were working in the relief effort. it will take about 6 weeks to make more. I have no prblem with the fact that one of those 7 doses did not go to him. Even if they did have a few more doses left, it should go to the people who are putting their lives at risk in the relief effort, not for "tourists" who have exhibited some very risky and unethical behavior and put innocent people at risk, knowing he had been exposed.

It may sound mean but if we save the risk taking tourists here on questionable visas and not the doctors who are most experienced with this disease, we shall soon find ourselves with no doctors.

I heard it last night and I'll admit to still being peeved about it today.I'm just not sure what more we can do for Duncan and his friends/family.
I agree that the medicine that was given was given to those that risked their lives for humanitarian purposes and I'm sure if we had it on hand that it would also be made available to Duncan.
Her tone and her belief that more could and should be done really put my back up and I'm fairly liberal in my thinking and values.
So little regard for others...IMO

 

[SweetT]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-03/ebola-patient-came-to-u-s-to-marry-girlfriend.html

Thomas Eric Duncan, the Dallas Ebola patient, came to the U.S. to marry his girlfriend, a local pastor said.............

Duncan arrived in Dallas from Liberia last month, with plans to visit L T and “start a new life in America” with her, according to an e-mail sent yesterday to the congregation of Wilshire Baptist Church, where Troh is a member.

Troh and the others staying at the apartment were moved by Dallas County officials yesterday to an undisclosed location with better living conditions. .....
“Where they were living was a terrible place,” Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said at a news briefing. “They deserved better than that.”

So it seems they did have plans to marry and stay here, no doubt.

I'm sorry, what was it about the place that they were living that made it such a "terrible place"? What is so special about them that "They deserve better than that?"

In light of the fact that we have homeless people, and many others who are worse off, and others who still live in that apartment building, I'm not sure I understand the comments from the Mayor.

What about the three hundred others living at that terrible place? I'm sure they'd like relocated too.

 

[Oceans]

Epidemiologist: Stop the flights now

Infected men and women may not be contagious on the plane, but they could wreak havoc when they arrive.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2014/10/06/epidemiologist-stop-the-flights-now/

I agree.

I think too many people underestimate how contagious Ebola can be.
I also think that even the experts are at this point not sure how dangerous this type of Ebola is.
JMO.

 

[LinasK]

If he had an American citizenship, he would not have needed any visa.

If he got here on a tourist visa and would have married his girlfriend here, it's still illegal and he could have faced jail time.

BBM. Okay, even if she is an American citizen it doesn't automatically confer citizenship upon him- got my answer on another thread:

Being married to a US citizen does not automatically grant the spouse US Citizenship.
The spouses must file an immigration petition with US immigration to start the process. It is not an automatic process there are steps to follow.

 

[LadyL]

I don't blame him. I was working in a hospital when the SARS pandemic hit here and my company did not even warn us or prepare us or educate us about what cautions to take.

There is a great thread there with comments from a med student at the hospital where she is being treated. He is saying (among other things) that the med students do not want to go to work tomorrow.

 

[WichitaFalls]

It's called CYA. He knows the City of Dallas blew this big time so he's trying to deflect the attention by acting benevolent instead of owning the gross errors of the response of the city he heads. There should have been a procedure in place for this situation and it should have been executed right away. God help us if we ever do experience an outbreak of some kind.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-03/ebola-patient-came-to-u-s-to-marry-girlfriend.html

Thomas Eric Duncan, the Dallas Ebola patient, came to the U.S. to marry his girlfriend, a local pastor said.............

Duncan arrived in Dallas from Liberia last month, with plans to visit L T and “start a new life in America” with her, according to an e-mail sent yesterday to the congregation of Wilshire Baptist Church, where Troh is a member.

Troh and the others staying at the apartment were moved by Dallas County officials yesterday to an undisclosed location with better living conditions. .....
“Where they were living was a terrible place,” Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said at a news briefing. “They deserved better than that.”

So it seems they did have plans to marry and stay here, no doubt.

I'm sorry, what was it about the place that they were living that made it such a "terrible place"? What is so special about them that "They deserve better than that?"

In light of the fact that we have homeless people, and many others who are worse off, and others who still live in that apartment building, I'm not sure I understand the comments from the Mayor.

 

[LinasK]

Kimlynn I heard that same snippet of the woman voice demanding that they do more, give him the medicine that the others had gotten and that America was not doing enough for him. I was pretty peeved at that . I imagine their entire family/friend group has been the nenificiary of many financial and supportive help courtesy of American's. Pretty galling that she demands much more and accuses us of not doing enough.

There is no more of the zmapp medicine that she wanted given to him (the one that helped cure 5 of the 7 who got it). It was given to doctors, missionary aids and priests who were working in the relief effort. it will take about 6 weeks to make more. I have no prblem with the fact that one of those 7 doses did not go to him. Even if they did have a few more doses left, it should go to the people who are putting their lives at risk in the relief effort, not for "tourists" who have exhibited some very risky and unethical behavior and put innocent people at risk, knowing he had been exposed.

It may sound mean but if we save the risk taking tourists here on questionable visas and not the doctors who are most experienced with this disease, we shall soon find ourselves with no doctors.

I agree with you. Why is Duncan so special that he deserves the few precious doses are experimental treatment. What has he done for the US or even his country? He is an unemployed truck driver, by choice- he quit his job. I'd rather doctors like Brantly that are doing something to save the lives of those with Ebola get the drugs.

 

[LinasK]

But how crazy is that? I guess that's a topic for another thread but come on! Dallas is a major US city. The Mayor and County Judge are calling around to house someone who was told to stay in their apartment but chose not to? And there's really no plan in place for this? Lord help us if this, or any other major illness/disaster actually happens because the Mayors and Judges are going to run out of friends with houses. There are highly funded govt agencies tasked with just this thing!

I find it incredible that the house is temporary. Who will disinfect it when she moves out? Who will want to live in it??? I'd say the house is more stigmatized for a realtor than having to disclose a murder/suicide took place on a property they are selling.

 

[FlamingoLady]

I agree with you. Why is Duncan so special that he deserves the few precious doses are experimental treatment. What has he done for the US or even his country? He is an unemployed truck driver, by choice- he quit his job. I'd rather doctors like Brantly that are doing something to save the lives of those with Ebola get the drugs.

These are the subjects that apocalyptic books & movies are made of! It's imperative that this gets contained or we will have anarchy. I'm not being hysterical. I think I'm using some forethought and common sense, IMO.

 

[Harmony 2]

Stop making assumptions, as mind readers, as to what someone knew or didn't know or what their thoughts were unless you can link it to a reliable source. Thanks

 

[LinasK]

These are the subjects that apocalyptic books & movies are made of! It's imperative that this gets contained or we will have anarchy. I'm not being hysterical. I think I'm using some forethought and common sense, IMO.

I totally agree with you and I'm not hysterical either, nor in panic mode.

 

[Muffet]

I've been determined to avoid the whole "guilt" discussion, since I'll probably irk everyone. But since it's apparently important, I'll throw in my meager :twocents: FWIW

First, I don't know what was going through Mr Duncan's head. It's hard to deduce from his actions, since they aren't consistent, and we don't know him.
There are good arguments for suspicion, for condemnation, and, as always, for giving the benefit of doubt.

But does any of that matter 1/10th as much as doing whatever we can to reduce the odds of creating future victims?

What he did, knowingly or unknowingly, is water under the bridge.

If the conflict here is over whether people should only express compassion and avoid criticizing (or charging) him or others (including citizens and healthcare workers), then, IMO, the most compassionate answer would be that we should say and do whatever we can to discourage future carelessness, for the sake of its victims.

I pity anyone in his condition. I pity all who live there.

But it seems misguided to let pity for one person so supercede our compassion for their victims that we object to sending a strong message to everyone, everywhere, that it's unacceptable to be a less than responsible, considerate human.... That, if you don't take care, and negligently expose other people to ebola, you shouldn't expect sympathy or even the benefit of the doubt.

Harsh? Yes. But worth it for the sake of victims of anyone who would be tempted to rely on our compassion to cut slack or forgive their lack of diligence.