Ebola outbreak - general thread #5

[WideOpen]

CNN her name is Amber Vinson (the nurse)

Prayers for Ms. Amber Vinson and her family, friends, and loved ones.
This should never have happened.

JMO

 

[SStarr33]

Could be, nothing would surprise me now. But...how about provide her with private transportation?

Even if she had not yet spiked a fever, people will go nuts if the CDC did this.

 

[Sonya610]

Wouldn't you think there should be a mandate as to what PPE should be in use and same manufacturer should be involved? Needs to be standardized and rigid with absolutely no substitution.

There isn't any time for that. Dupont makes some good chemical resistant suits, 3M makes some very good respirators (viruses are on the very very low end of the 3M respirator filter range). Both are in high demand from Joe Schmoe buyers and sales are WAY WAY up (the CDC labs surely use something better but those products are light years ahead of what most hospitals are using).

 

[cady]

Self isolation, not quarantine. Which apparently doesn't work. So forced quarantine should be the logical next step since people who presumably know better won't do better. What do you suppose the odds of this happening are?

Tricky, because a mandate is a legal issue. I'd hate to have to get the courts involved. JMO

 

[Island_Chica]

Thank you so much for joining the discussion.

I do have a question if you can give your opinion on it.

There has been quite a few patients in Africa that claim they did everything right and they have no idea how they contracted the disease. We do know of the 1 guy at least who caught it by washing the vehicle and probably got back spray droplets on him from the washing.

My question is do you think its possible that maybe Africa's humidity and maybe more rainfall is contributing to human to human transmission through close quarter contact?

I was out in the yard just the other day on a cold evening and it was one of nights where you could see your breath.
I immediately wondered if perhaps small microscopic breathed particles were traveling through the air and maybe Africa has more humidity and rainfall which could be making their cases spread more than it would here in US.
The particles may not travel far, but maybe with the humidity, they travel further over there.

When I was in the yard with my flashlight, I watched how my breath particles basically got carried in the wind for quite a long ways.

Anyway, just something I was wondering about.

Hatfield, I am no scientist, but I do try to use what I think is a cool head and logical reasoning. I've never been to Liberia, Sierra Leone, or anywhere else in West Africa for that matter, but I have seen the photos and my spouse works with many who have been there. The outbreak is real, but not everyone is getting sick. Let's be real: the living conditions there are horrendous. You think these people have indoor plumbing and hand sanitizer? Nope. These are true third world countries lacking - in many cases - even basic infrastructure. Think of all the various ways someone could come into contact with another person's feces, vomit or blood without plumbing - you wouldn't even know it! THAT is why these people are getting sick at a quicker pace, IMO.

That "one guy who got it from washing the car"? I doubt it - these countries have very different customs with how they handle dead bodies and what constitutes tolerable personal space. I'm sure that man came into contact with some bodily fluid another way and didn't even know it.

But I'm no alarmist - I think we'll see the US cases confined mostly to healthcare workers and those who have had intimate contact with such workers.

 

[nrdsb4]

(above, bbm)
I've said this from the beginning.

To be honest with you, I thought the same thing. It seems like common sense to completely isolate yourself if caring for a Mr. Duncan. Apparently that is a commodity sorely lacking, and it's been proven time and again that some people just won't do the right thing unless they are forced to. I get that you could be monitoring yourself responsibly and running to the mailbox at the post office if you are well. But I cannot for a moment advocate taking mass transportation under these circumstances.

 

[Elley Mae]

Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell admitted that the reasons for the hospital workers becoming infected aren't clear.

"Those are people that came in contact because we don't understand exactly how the breach in protocol occurred," Burwell told ABC News today. "We are taking the precaution of making sure that anyone within that treatment phase will be tracked and monitored in a more serious way."

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/nurse-infected-ebola-jetliner-diagnosis/story?id=26206090

 

[SStarr33]

I wonder how many days post last exposure she is.

CDC has a presser at 3:00 ET today

 

[Brightbird]

I'm confused. Now there are reports that the second nurse to test positive was on a flight from Cleveland to Dallas. I thought I read earlier that the 70+ people who cared for Duncan were in some level of isolation, (self-imposed or suggested, not legally enforced). So are they isolating the health care workers who were in contact with Duncan or not?

My understanding is that the 70+ started isolation after nurse Nina tested positive. That's when they realised something went wrong and the HCWs were at risk. Not sure how I got that idea but that's what I thought.

 

[ClaireNC]

Self isolation, not quarantine. Which apparently doesn't work. So forced quarantine should be the logical next step since people who presumably know better won't do better. What do you suppose the odds of this happening are?

I think it is going to need to happen. Just wish they would do it sooner rather than later. The fact that this second nurse was in another state/city/region the day before her symptoms appeared shows how easily the virus can jump from place to place here in the US. Somebody needs to stop this risk of spread immediately.

I am not a person to easily panic, but this one is getting scarier by the day.

 

[SStarr33]

Market cratered on this news.

 

[Hatfield]

Even the doctor reporter the other day did not listen after traveling to the infected country for her job, and she had to be demanded to stay in quaranteen.

If the doctors and reporters themselves are not listening to healthcare advice, a forced quaranteen is the only answer.

Like people are saying, this is common sense. Yes, we need to disadvantage a few for the benefit of many. Not the other way around. Sheeesh. This is getting very upsetting.

 

[nrdsb4]

Even if she had not yet spiked a fever, people will go nuts if the CDC did this.

Yep, you are right about that. Understandably.

 

[Gypsy Road]

I'm getting really concerned, and like I said earlier I am not one to get alarmed. I realize the two diagnosed are nurses who had direct contact with Duncan, but it's TWO now and the first one said she was completely suited up. Sooner or later this virus is bound to mutate and if it becomes airborne....we are screwed. I am a pretty much a homebody. I live with my dear husband and several pets, and have a hand full of really close friends who I see maybe once or twice a week. Last week I didn't socialize much, but did go out shopping all day Friday. Sunday morning I woke up with a terrible cold/flu - not sure what- sore throat, fever, chills. No one else in my small circle is sick so I have to believe that I caught something while out shopping Friday. I am very conscientious about washing my hands and carrying hand sanitizer, wiping off shopping carts, etc....but here I am....sick and I don't have any idea how I got it. Anyway....this Ebola thing is staring to scare the mess out of me.

 

[Gypsy Road]

Even the doctor reporter the other day did not listen after traveling to the infected country for her job, and she had to be demanded to stay in quaranteen.

If the doctors and reporters themselves are not listening to healthcare advice, a forced quaranteen is the only answer.

Like people are saying, this is common sense. Yes, we need to disadvantage a few for the benefit of many. Not the other way around. Sheeesh. This is getting very upsetting.

YES! This!!!! When news about that doctor being out and and about broke....I WAS PISSED! It was so unbelievable to me to the point where I was saying her license needed to be yanked, or that she needed to be reprimanded in some way! I was pissed on so many levels! All I could think of was how incompetent can someone be! A doctor no less!!!!

 

[Sonya610]

My understanding is that the 70+ started isolation after nurse Nina tested positive. That's when they realised something went wrong and the HCWs were at risk. Not sure how I got that idea but that's what I thought.

I am guessing maybe this lastest nurse (Amber?) decided to fly home asap to start isolation? Or maybe felt sick and just wanted to go home?

 

[oh_gal]

I'm getting really concerned, and like I said earlier I am not one to get alarmed. I realize the two diagnosed are nurses who had direct contact with Duncan, but it's TWO now and the first one said she was completely suited up. Sooner or later this virus is bound to mutate and if it becomes airborne....we are screwed. I am a pretty much a homebody. I live with my dear husband and several, and have a hand full of really close friends who I see maybe once or twice a week. Last week I didn't socialize much, but did go out shopping all day Friday. Sunday morning I woke up with a terrible cold/flu - not sure what- sore throat, fever, chills. No one else in my small circle is sick so I have to believe that I caught something while out shopping Friday. I am very conscientious of washing my hands and carrying hand sanitizer, wiping off shopping carts, etc....but here I am....sick and I don't have any idea how I got it. Anyway....this Ebola thing is staring to scare the mess out of me.

I live about 30 miles east of Cleveland. I'm supposed to take my kids for flu shots tonight, that worries me, now. I have to go to the dentist tomorrow, and, frankly, it worries me, as well.

 

[Isabelle]

What are you going to do about highways? I can easily drive to Oklahoma city and go anywhere I want to.

EEK!!! Dunno

 

[nrdsb4]

I am guessing maybe this lastest nurse (Amber?) decided to fly home asap to start isolation? Or maybe felt sick and just wanted to go home?

Okay, but why return? And via mass transport? Boggles the mind, it really does.

 

[Gardenlady]

Why on earth would she get on a plane knowing she wasn't in the clear? :facepalm:

Lock them ALL DOWN like Nigeria did, if they aren't going to be responsible and do it themselves.


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