Community Chat

[kittymomNC]

On 10/29/2014 Dam Yankee said:

Once again, it does not matter what DWB, or the CDC, or WHO have to say about the quarantines... none of those entities have the power or authority to define or dictate state law. It's as simple as that, really.

You're absolutely right about that. And it's just my opinion, but it seems they would be willing to take advice from the experts who have been working with this disease for decades. JMHO

[~kaIypso~]

On 10/29/2014 wookie said:

A representative from DWB stated in an interview yesterday that 10,000 volunteers are needed right now in WA. That is a large number. I hope they get the response they need.

That is a big number. I hope they get the help they need. Like our military that are over there, I believe they should be quarantined as well when they come home.

[scotttie]

On 10/29/2014 kittymomNC said:

On 10/29/2014 Dam Yankee said:

Once again, it does not matter what DWB, or the CDC, or WHO have to say about the quarantines... none of those entities have the power or authority to define or dictate state law. It's as simple as that, really.

You're absolutely right about that. And it's just my opinion, but it seems they would be willing to take advice from the experts who have been working with this disease for decades. JMHO

Because they have done such a WONDERFUL job so far.

[Surfnturf]

On 10/29/2014 MomTo2Dogs said:

On 10/29/2014 wookie said:

A representative from DWB stated in an interview yesterday that 10,000 volunteers are needed right now in WA. That is a large number. I hope they get the response they need.

From what I'm hearing from former colleagues is a big problem with MSF is that it's very difficult to get accepted. They want prior experience and very few have it. There are other NGOs who are not as restrictive and will accept those with medical backgrounds and no foreign service experience. A friend of mine applied with Save the Children.

http://www.savethechildren.net/jobs

That's interesting information. Thanks for the link. I wonder if perhaps it isn't time to revise the requirements to include a training course for those without the experience they are currently requiring.

[kittymomNC]

On 10/29/2014 scotttie said:

On 10/29/2014 kittymomNC said:

On 10/29/2014 Dam Yankee said:

Once again, it does not matter what DWB, or the CDC, or WHO have to say about the quarantines... none of those entities have the power or authority to define or dictate state law. It's as simple as that, really.

You're absolutely right about that. And it's just my opinion, but it seems they would be willing to take advice from the experts who have been working with this disease for decades. JMHO

Because they have done such a WONDERFUL job so far.

I'm only going on the fact that no one has been infected by a health worker who returned from Africa in all the years we have been sending medical personnel over there to deal with the other Ebola outbreaks, i.e., Until today (the doctor in NY), out of more than 700 expatriate staff deployed so far to West Africa, no MSF staff person has developed confirmed Ebola symptoms after returning to their home country. Therefore, no one could have been infected by them. And the doctor in New York was not out in public once he developed a fever.

So I think they've done a pretty darned good job.

[Dam Yankee]

Until it has been unequivocally proven that people with compromised immune systems cannot contract ebola from asymptomatic ebola carriers, I'm on the side of quarantining ALL high risk individuals... not just the international traveling doctors and nurses, but also the ones who have been treating ebola patients in the USA.

Everyone, especially those who have been so quick to compare ebola to HIV and/or AIDS, should be very concerned for the safety of the people who suffer from those immune disorders and the many others that also exist.

[focksie]

On 10/29/2014 kittymomNC said:

On 10/29/2014 DARING GREATLY said:

My concern is the doctor who is in the hospital right now in NYC went all over, bowling, the subway, restaurants... and he was symptom free. And then, he got symptoms within the 21 day time frame. He's in serious condition right now.

There is no assurance that she will stay symptom free. We hope so for her sake and others, but still, what will happen if she makes all these complaints and then gets sick?

I respect her work and all that she is doing, but she should know that there are responsibilities that go along with doing that kind of work. I hope she is healthy and nothing will happen to her.

She would be wise not to file any lawsuits until she is 100% free of any possibility of symptoms or issues.

This is what the Doctors Without Borders says about him, i.e., he posed no danger to anyone else prior to developing actual symptoms. And according to all the science, someone would have to have contact with bodily fluids in order to be infected.

Our colleague in New York followed the MSF protocols and guidelines since returning from West Africa. At the immediate detection of fever on the morning of October 23, 2014, he swiftly notified the MSF office in New York. He did not leave his apartment until paramedics transported him safely to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, and he posed no public health threat prior to developing symptoms.

Does anyone know exactly when he developed symptoms (i.e. fever)? Did he take his temperature upon returning home after he went bowling and on the subway and in a cab? Or did he take his temperature upon waking the next morning?

If he did have a fever the prior evening (before taking his temperature the next morning upon waking), how many people might he have come in contact with?

Precisely when was he symptomatic and may have been in contact with others?

Do we know the answers to these questions?

All these unanswered questions point to the logic and common sense of being prudent in our policies concerning healthcare workers returning from WA.

ETA: And just because we may have a good track record of no ebola infection being brought over here in the past does not mean one can conclude that it can't happen. That's illogical.

[kittymomNC]

On 10/29/2014 Dam Yankee said:

Until it has been unequivocally proven that people with compromised immune systems cannot contract ebola from asymptomatic ebola carriers, I'm on the side of quarantining ALL high risk individuals... not just the international traveling doctors and nurses, but also the ones who have been treating ebola patients in the USA.

Everyone, especially those who have been so quick to compare ebola to HIV and/or AIDS, should be very concerned for the safety of the people who suffer from those immune disorders and the many others that also exist.

My question about that would be, what do those few specially trained and equipped hospitals/personnel do if every group who treats a patient is quarantined, and then they do get new patients, which is still possible with the outbreak as large as it is in Africa? I would think they would run out of trained personnel... just a thought.

[kittymomNC]

On 10/29/2014 focksie said:

On 10/29/2014 kittymomNC said:

On 10/29/2014 DARING GREATLY said:

My concern is the doctor who is in the hospital right now in NYC went all over, bowling, the subway, restaurants... and he was symptom free. And then, he got symptoms within the 21 day time frame. He's in serious condition right now.

There is no assurance that she will stay symptom free. We hope so for her sake and others, but still, what will happen if she makes all these complaints and then gets sick?

I respect her work and all that she is doing, but she should know that there are responsibilities that go along with doing that kind of work. I hope she is healthy and nothing will happen to her.

She would be wise not to file any lawsuits until she is 100% free of any possibility of symptoms or issues.

This is what the Doctors Without Borders says about him, i.e., he posed no danger to anyone else prior to developing actual symptoms. And according to all the science, someone would have to have contact with bodily fluids in order to be infected.

Our colleague in New York followed the MSF protocols and guidelines since returning from West Africa. At the immediate detection of fever on the morning of October 23, 2014, he swiftly notified the MSF office in New York. He did not leave his apartment until paramedics transported him safely to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, and he posed no public health threat prior to developing symptoms.

Does anyone know exactly when he developed symptoms (i.e. fever)? Did he take his temperature upon returning home after he went bowling and on the subway and in a cab? Or did he take his temperature upon waking the next morning?

If he did have a fever the prior evening (before taking his temperature the next morning upon waking), how many people might he have come in contact with?

Precisely when was he symptomatic and may have been in contact with others?

Do we know the answers to these questions?

All these unanswered questions point to the logic and common sense of being prudent in our policies concerning healthcare workers returning from WA.

ETA: And just because we may have a good track record of no ebola infection being brought over here in the past does not mean one can conclude that it can't happen. That's illogical.

But someone would still have had to be in contact with his bodily fluids to be infected. So even if he was in the subway or a cab, how would anyone be in that situation? The doctors have said it can't even be transmitted by sneezing. Do we completely ignore the experts?

[~kaIypso~]

On 10/29/2014 kittymomNC said:

On 10/29/2014 focksie said:

On 10/29/2014 kittymomNC said:

On 10/29/2014 DARING GREATLY said:

My concern is the doctor who is in the hospital right now in NYC went all over, bowling, the subway, restaurants... and he was symptom free. And then, he got symptoms within the 21 day time frame. He's in serious condition right now.

There is no assurance that she will stay symptom free. We hope so for her sake and others, but still, what will happen if she makes all these complaints and then gets sick?

I respect her work and all that she is doing, but she should know that there are responsibilities that go along with doing that kind of work. I hope she is healthy and nothing will happen to her.

She would be wise not to file any lawsuits until she is 100% free of any possibility of symptoms or issues.

This is what the Doctors Without Borders says about him, i.e., he posed no danger to anyone else prior to developing actual symptoms. And according to all the science, someone would have to have contact with bodily fluids in order to be infected.

Our colleague in New York followed the MSF protocols and guidelines since returning from West Africa. At the immediate detection of fever on the morning of October 23, 2014, he swiftly notified the MSF office in New York. He did not leave his apartment until paramedics transported him safely to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, and he posed no public health threat prior to developing symptoms.

Does anyone know exactly when he developed symptoms (i.e. fever)? Did he take his temperature upon returning home after he went bowling and on the subway and in a cab? Or did he take his temperature upon waking the next morning?

If he did have a fever the prior evening (before taking his temperature the next morning upon waking), how many people might he have come in contact with?

Precisely when was he symptomatic and may have been in contact with others?

Do we know the answers to these questions?

All these unanswered questions point to the logic and common sense of being prudent in our policies concerning healthcare workers returning from WA.

ETA: And just because we may have a good track record of no ebola infection being brought over here in the past does not mean one can conclude that it can't happen. That's illogical.

But someone would still have had to be in contact with his bodily fluids to be infected. So even if he was in the subway or a cab, how would anyone be in that situation? The doctors have said it can't even be transmitted by sneezing. Do we completely ignore the experts?

It's like you have stock in this. Have you thought about going to WA to volunteer your services?