Posted on Oct 22, 2014
Is the EBOLA scare in the USA real or is it overblown?
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Yesterday, October 21, 2014, in Stokes County, NC, an Assistant Principal who had taken a Mission Trip to South Africa was told to stay home and away from school for 21 days so that there would be no risk of exposing the staff or students at school to EBOLA from the visit to Africa. South Africa is over 5,000 miles away from where the infected areas of Africa are. According to the story that is further away than the distance from NC to Hawaii, yet people are afraid of contracting EBOLA from this person.
Is this a reasonable fear? Should anyone traveling from anywhere in Africa be quarantined for 21 days? Is this overreaction due to ignorance of geography? Or is there something else going on, what is your reaction to this story?
Is this a reasonable fear? Should anyone traveling from anywhere in Africa be quarantined for 21 days? Is this overreaction due to ignorance of geography? Or is there something else going on, what is your reaction to this story?
Geography
Homeland Security
Quarantine
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 23
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PO3 (Join to see)
It is definitely real, but people have definitely blown it way out of proportion...
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Well if these dumb-ass doctors who can't observe a 21 day quarantine would stop f--king around we may keep this thing under control. That and if we'd stop opening up every state to caring for Ebola victims. This whole situation is a runaway white elephant that everyone doesn't seem to really want to do anything about. CONTAINMENT, ISOLATION, DECONTAMINATION, QUARENTINE, STERILE ENVIRONMENT, PROPER DISROBING - I know most of us all learned these concepts at NBC training.
Oh yeah, and now we have an Ebola czar - yippie!
Oh yeah, and now we have an Ebola czar - yippie!
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SSG (Join to see)
MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca, SSgt (Join to see), CPT Michael Barden, and SSG Laureano Pabon, this whole thing stinks to high heaven of an insidious nature. Ebola Czar??? What the hell is that and why is a lawyer, who has ZERO Ebola experience and ZERO medical training, selected to fill that position? Totally ridiculous. Almost as if certain people really wish to infect the country. SMH!!!
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SGT (Join to see)
That same nurse that is claiming she has been held prisoner would be the first one to complain if another person wasn't held to the 21 day quarantine. If they can not get this under control and quit worrying about what others think of us than it is going to get bad.
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SPC Korey R.
And the band plays on.... to a tune already loaded before we had a chance to pick it........It is being done by design as bad and sad as it may be for me to say it. The path of these Great United States has been set and determined by others with an outcome in mind and by design since the 50's. Personally I believe that this is a strain similar to Ebola and not the real Ebola which has been believed to be 99%+ lethal since it was first discovered. Hence the people "surviving". JMHO
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CMDCM Gene Treants - It is real and should be respected. If we let our guard down and then that school loses a few kids, all hell would break lose. I am annoyed that the administration and CDC would actually advocate carelessness over caution. I get the part about mass panic, but I am also aware that voting day is right around the corner. Debate on this has been severely curtailed at the behest of the government. I will not listen to any politician in this matter.
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CMDCM Gene Treants
I do not believe any child in this school is or ever was in danger. However I am very concerned about the lack of professional conduct by our medical personnel returning from West Africa after caring for Ebola patients there.
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CMDCM Gene Treants
As I said CPT Michael Barden, they, well some of them, seem to be more a part of the problem then the solution. I think all of us have a basic human right to not live in fear of this attitude of Me First.
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As an employee of Johnson & Johnson, and a parent... I would say that the threat of Ebola is real. It needs to be taken seriously!
If that means taking some "extreme" precautions until we have this contained then so be it. There is is still no definitive cure for Ebola on the market. Do you want your kids bringing home to you? Or vice versa?
No FDA-approved vaccine or medicine (e.g., antiviral drug) is available for Ebola.
If that means taking some "extreme" precautions until we have this contained then so be it. There is is still no definitive cure for Ebola on the market. Do you want your kids bringing home to you? Or vice versa?
No FDA-approved vaccine or medicine (e.g., antiviral drug) is available for Ebola.
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1SG (Join to see)
They can easily be monitored in a secure location for 30 days... But I've always disliked the media.
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SGT (Join to see)
as a parent there has been more recalls on baby toys, baby wipes, car seats…etc killing quite a few kids and it doesn't spread like wild fire like ebola has. There are more every day things that can kill you a lot easier and faster then ebola
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1SG (Join to see)
I disagree... This is the largest outbreak of Ebola that has occurred in history. You can "fix" broken toys. Nobody's fixed Ebola. I'm not saying this thing is the end of times, but we need to respect the dangers affiliated with Ebola. This isn't your run of the mill STD. I'm just saying. Comparing Ebola to baby wipes and car seats is pointless. Stopping the spread of Ebola, in the U.S. especially, needs to be a priority.
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SSgt (Join to see)
1SG (Join to see) Thanks SFC Ellis. It aggravates me when politicians make this political, especially right be an election where making a mistake here is grounds for impeachment and arrest. Good job Rahsean!
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the US population is a bit under 320million....2 people of contracted it??? I think more US citizens have died texting and driving in the last week
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CPT Gary Lapine
I can understand your beliefs that the country is over reacting. However, unlike deaths from "texting while driving", pandemics occur over a period of time. The 320 million people you cite, could be affected within six weeks! Since non of those affected (three as of this writing) can identify when they actually became infected, it appears that the protocols they have in place for decontamination are failing. My belief is that it is better to prepare and work on the worst case scenario at the start. Since all the efforts to be prepared can be toned down easier, while at the same time ensuring the publics' confidence, rather than the opposite. Which would you prefer?
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PO1 Tony Peters
while I don't know about the doctor in NYC who was treating ebola cases in Africa, the two nurses in Texas were exposed to the original patient and were not following protocol at that time. And Yet we are still only talking about 2 cases of Ebola being transmitted in the USA and a handful of cases where the infected person contracted it IN Africa. if the "protocols were failing we would be talking about AIDS under Reagan numbers instead of single digits
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1SG (Join to see)
No definitive solution except possibly staging health care professionals at all inbound airports to monitor symptoms. The problem would be the fact that they are not likely to become symptomatic until after their travel is completed!
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My opionion....: 1. Is this a concern? YES. 2. Has it been overblown by the media: YES
With both of these out of the way, I have a couple additional thoughts...
- International travel is a concern. People come into contact with travelers without realizing that someone may or may not have been in a region of issues, so there is potential for risk.
- Military involvement: We are sending troops over there to help do a variety of tasks. How they will be monitored over there AND how they will be handled on their return trip could play a HUGE factor in many things.
- Terrorist have over the last years been willing to blow themselves up. What makes us think that they would not be willing to come in direct contact with Ebola, then take a trip, lying about where they were etc, then contact as many people as possible in a "lone wolf attempt" to disrupt a metropolitian medical system? This would call more attention to their cause AND wreck havoc to the false sense of security that many citizens of the USA and other countries have.
This situation is overblown, but continues to be worth monitoring closely!
With both of these out of the way, I have a couple additional thoughts...
- International travel is a concern. People come into contact with travelers without realizing that someone may or may not have been in a region of issues, so there is potential for risk.
- Military involvement: We are sending troops over there to help do a variety of tasks. How they will be monitored over there AND how they will be handled on their return trip could play a HUGE factor in many things.
- Terrorist have over the last years been willing to blow themselves up. What makes us think that they would not be willing to come in direct contact with Ebola, then take a trip, lying about where they were etc, then contact as many people as possible in a "lone wolf attempt" to disrupt a metropolitian medical system? This would call more attention to their cause AND wreck havoc to the false sense of security that many citizens of the USA and other countries have.
This situation is overblown, but continues to be worth monitoring closely!
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CMDCM Gene Treants
I guess that your concern Maj Chris Nelson, about terrorist activity, is one I just did not want to voice. We rely so heavily on honesty in screening, what little there is , at airports, that your scenario is not only possible but probable.
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Maj Chris Nelson
MCPO Treants, I feel you on wanting to deny... However, I am also one that in most cases feels that not talking about the elephant in the room does little to prepare anyone for when that elephant craps in said room. If there is no acknowledgement of a potential, people will only partly accept it as possible and will not make contingency plans. Their observation skills will be compromised because they have not accepted what COULD happen, therefore, will not be looking for it.
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Col (Join to see)
I think some folks don't understand overblown versus taking it serious. Of course we should take Ebola very serious. Personally I think the doctors and nurses coming back should be quarantined for 21 days. Clearly the doctor in New York didn't take it seriously, and neither does the sniffling nurse who may file a lawsuit about her rights being violated. Good on New York and the other states for looking to impose quarantine rules. However, there is no need for the media to create panic and perpetuate hysteria. So yes the media has overblown it via sensationalizing it.
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NHK (Japanese tv) just reported that EBOLA deaths will top 10,000 by this weekend. I just hope our troops going over there to assist in the fight will all come home safe.
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LT (Join to see)
I think it is media overblown. It is a real threat but not as serious as the media is making it out to be at this time. Just my opinion.
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CMDCM Gene Treants
I believe it is a real threat if you are in the West Africa Region, but not as serious as the media has made it for the US. I do think out troops are going into harms way.
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SFC Mark Merino
I have to disagree with you LT (Join to see). I believe that the numbers are drastically under-reported. On a continent with very little education, internet connectivity, and social support, I bet people are dying and being buried by family and not being reported. It is tragic misery as usual for them and they go back to trying to feed their family as the priority....not following "proper" reporting/recording protocol. I'm not in Africa, so my opinion means nothing. But soon, many of our friends right here on RallyPoint will be at ground zero. I pray that you are right.
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I would say it's overblown. Do we need a 21-day quarantine for folks who have traveled to Africa? Right now, no. If we see more cases of Ebola, I might re-think this position, but right now I don't see the need.
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CMDCM Gene Treants
I only see the need if they are coming from infectious areas and have been in contact with infected people.
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1SG (Join to see)
What if they travel from an infected area to a non-infected area of Africa (say South Africa) and then travel to the U.S. The problem is PEOPLE LIE. That's why it's in the U.S.now.
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It's overblown, the media has taken it to ridiculous extremes to draw in audiences by spreading fear. Then you have the CDC trying to make it into something even worse to try to claim they need a bigger budget. So far only a few people have caught it here in the United States and they were both medical professionals which demonstrates how hard it is to catch. The difference between here and West Africa that allows us to keep it under control is the fact that we have a great medical system, and infrastructure.
I think we need a travel ban on people coming into the country from Western Africa along with actually securing the borders of our country to avoid someone attempting to come into the country illegally. People who are willing to enter the affected region should fly in and out of there by charter or even in military aircraft so we can have control over who gets in and who doesn't. On top of that anyone returning to the US who does return from the affected countries I would quarantine them for 60 days as the World Health Organization claims that the incubation period may be as high as 60 days. Although I think the media has fanned the flames of fear, I'd much rather take precautions than to take risks that would actually make the outlandish reports real.
I think we need a travel ban on people coming into the country from Western Africa along with actually securing the borders of our country to avoid someone attempting to come into the country illegally. People who are willing to enter the affected region should fly in and out of there by charter or even in military aircraft so we can have control over who gets in and who doesn't. On top of that anyone returning to the US who does return from the affected countries I would quarantine them for 60 days as the World Health Organization claims that the incubation period may be as high as 60 days. Although I think the media has fanned the flames of fear, I'd much rather take precautions than to take risks that would actually make the outlandish reports real.
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CMDCM Gene Treants
I do tend to agree that the media is running amok. That and the fact that most Americans show an appalling lack of any type of understanding of Geography are the reasons someone visiting South Africa is isolated for 21 days.
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SFC (Join to see)
The downplaying and talking about how hard it is to catch only counters the outright panic, but I don't believe it to be something to be ignored either.
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Cpl Ray Fernandez
SFC (Join to see), that's where using a smart approach to this mess is necessary. It is a tough disease to catch as the only people who have caught it here have been medical professionals. The recent discovery of a doctor infected with it in NYC tells me that this whole idea of "self quarantine" isn't sufficient as some people will break quarantine under the belief that they are not at risk since they feel fine like the NBC medical editor that snuck out of her self quarantine to get fast food, and the doctor that was diagnosed yesterday that went about his life and rode the subway, went bowling, and jogging in NYC during his "self quarantine.
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