This morning I got up worrying about Ebola and all the reports throughout the nation. Today, I just learned that there is concern about a plane that went to Ft. Lauderdale, which had transported one of the infected nurses. Now we’re talking about Florida where I live, not just Texas and Ohio.
All three of these states are in the top five in population in the US. I’m worried that this may already be more widespread than anyone wants to admit. Think about it. There are many political reasons for them to keep this from us–the economy, civil unrest, a general election in less than a month–the list is probably longer than any one person realizes.
Yesterday, three of my grandchildren were here–three rambunctious little boy toddlers. They were so full of life, tumbling and playing on the rug while the rest of the family watched a football game. Life is good, but later last night all I could think about was the threat of this awful disease.
So this morning, I went searching for anything that may help. My first site was one by the Mayo Clinic. It is below.
The first suggestion is to avoid areas of known outbreaks, and they mention Africa. I’m thinking, what about Dallas and Cleveland? Ft. Lauderdale? I would hate to see these cities hurt by this, but I wouldn’t want my children to travel there. Call me paranoid, but it is still there in my mind.
I actually have even thought about a safe place to get away, like the old city citizens used to do when yellow fever would strike their southern cities. If they were able, these men would send their wives and children to the country-side, while they would stay behind and work. But I digress.
Even further down into digression I worry, too, about bodily secretions. They suggest that you wear gloves and protective gear when working with these patients. Sweat is a body’s secretion, and I now know that our skin truly does take in liquids and creams (i.e., bio-identicals such as progesterone which is a cream rubbed into your skin). Sweat is a liquid. Can you get ebola from rubbing up against a person who is sweating?
There are so many questions.
Here is initially what I found online, but I plan to do more searching. I’ll share what I find.
I am already washing my hands well with soap and in hot water if available, and I carry a strong alcohol hand rub in my purse. I started this over a week ago.
By protecting ourselves, we protect our families!
Prevention
- Avoid areas of known outbreaks. Before traveling to Africa, find out about current epidemics by checking the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
- Wash your hands frequently. As with other infectious diseases, one of the most important preventive measures is frequent hand-washing. Use soap and water, or use alcohol-based hand rubs containing at least 60 percent alcohol when soap and water aren’t available.
- Avoid bush meat. In developing countries, avoid buying or eating the wild animals, including nonhuman primates, sold in local markets.
- Avoid contact with infected people. In particular, caregivers should avoid contact with the person’s body fluids and tissues, including blood, semen, vaginal secretions and saliva. People with Ebola or Marburg are most contagious in the later stages of the disease.
- Follow infection-control procedures. If you’re a health care worker, wear protective clothing, such as gloves, masks, gowns and eye shields. Keep infected people isolated from others. Dispose of needles and sterilize other instruments.
- Don’t handle remains. The bodies of people who have died of Ebola or Marburg disease are still contagious. Specially organized and trained teams should bury the remains, using appropriate safety equipment.
Vaccine development
Scientists are working on a variety of vaccines that would protect people from Ebola or Marburg viruses. Some of the results have been promising, but further testing is needed.
I’ve learned that previous outbreaks of Ebola in Africa usually subsided when the virus “burned” through the available hosts in the relatively isolated areas. The difference this time is that the virus got into more populated areas and devastated the first responders (over two hundred health care workers have died from the disease.) In Africa, currently, the mortality rate is about 70%. The treatment protocol there seems to be to isolate the patient and a few health care workers provide a sort of hospice treatment until the patient dies or recovers. In Dallas, more advanced palliative treatments like intubation and dialysis have increased exposure risk to the health care providers. Aside from more advanced Intensive Care Unit and some very experimental drugs, we seem to be as unprepared as Africa. Isolation is our best defense and the President will be forced to call for a travel ban long before the infection rate approaches the predicted 10,000 new cases per week.
Clyde, Thank you for the information! Do you mind use some of it in one of my next blogs? I will give you credit, of course. Ann
Feel free. No attribution req’d.