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<p>Based on the quality of the reporting of events which transpired in Dallas, I’m not so sure that what they mean by “physical contact” is actually what I think it means. Is a man who is willing to cross oceans and put his life on the line to care for ebola patients capable of such reckless regard towards the woman he allegedly loves above all others? Again, is it denial on a grand scale? Stupidity? Willful selfishness? It’s hard to conceive of it.</p>
<p>Maybe he was having second thoughts about the wedding.</p>
<p>If I was her, I sure would be.</p>
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<p>Maybe part of the reason he was willing to put his life on the line was because he didn’t really think he was in any danger. That is, he felt that whatever protocols they had in Africa would protect him and that he would be able to execute said protective measures. I’m going to assume he wasn’t so careless as to assume that following most but not all of the safety measures was enough (e.g., how careful was he when taking off the protective gear; that can be a vector for infection if not done correctly.)</p>
<p>If so collegealum, he was an idiot. 440 health care workers already infected. Half of them dead. I can’t imagine anyone smart enough to make it through medical school to be that oblivious.</p>
<p>I didn’t catch his name, but a doctor who works with DWB just said if they institute mandatory quarantines on docs coming back from west Africa,(i.e. can’t see their families for 21 days), they will absolutely lose doctors. They simply won’t be willing to go back if that’s how it’s going to be when they return.</p>
<p>Is what they are doing over there helping? Perhaps it’s time to weigh the value of sending them there before a vaccine or other cure is found versus the risk their return places on other countries. </p>
<p>It does make you wonder if the huge amount of money that is required to treat them, and those they infect over here, and the businesses they affect, would be better spent training health care professionals who live and will stay in West Africa. Particularly the people who have already recovered from Ebola (that is, if you can’t get infected again). If those people were very well trained, and well paid, instead of being rejected by their communities, they could be respected, employed, and do a tremendous amount of good.</p>
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<p>You’re not seriously proposing that we withdraw medical help from the hot zone?</p>
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<p>The bowling alley didn’t have to shut down. They chose to do that.</p>
<p>The DWB guy is on the one hand saying that the doctor did everything he was supposed to do according to the DWB protocol…then on the other, he says they (returning HCW) are not supposed to take public transportation without contacting the organization first.</p>
<p>Self-quarantining is not a DWB protocol for HCW returning from the Ebola zone:</p>
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<p><a href=“http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/article/msf-protocols-staff-returning-ebola-affected-countries”>http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/article/msf-protocols-staff-returning-ebola-affected-countries</a></p>
<p>Just reading this after being out all day. You’d have thought a doctor would have more sense and would have quarantined himself for 21 days after returning from treating Ebola patients. Let’s hope his stupidity didn’t infect anyone else.</p>
<p>Tatin, did you read my post right above yours?</p>
<p>Again: are we expecting every health care professional who takes care of this Ebola patient to quarantine themselves for 21 days, not going out in public ever?</p>
<p>And let’s remind ourselves once again: No one has gotten ebola from casual contact in a public place. </p>
<p>He rode the subway. He took an Uber car. There has to be some consistency. Dr. Snyderman was supposed to quarantine for 21 days and gets excoriated for breaking it. This guy was around more Ebola than Dr. Snyderman. He should have self-quarantined and that means no public outings. Stay home.</p>
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<p>Please name someone who has contracted the virus from being in a public space with someone who is asymptomatic. Please name someone who has contracted the virus and wasn’t either a)involved in the medical treatment of a late-stage Ebola patient or b)working in the West African hot zone.</p>
<p>I think there may be some significant fallout from this case–re-examining the “self-monitoring/quarantining.” It’s not clear how accurate any reporting was, but if I had been in an area with an awful fatal disease and had seen a LOT of people dying from it, then felt junk and I developed a fever, I would NOT have any physical contact with those nearest and dearest, especially a GF or closer. </p>
<p>I hope the bowling alley won’t suffer much in the way of losses due to his having been there prior to his diagnosis. Contact tracing of all those who may have been exposed to this guy will be challenging.</p>
<p>OK. So everyone who takes care of him not only has to take care of an Ebola patient, but has to self-quarantine for, let’s say, 26 to 30 days, depending on the course of his illness: the entire length of his illness plus 21 more days. Yeah, lots of doctors and nurses are going to sign up to quarantine themselves for a month even though they’re not symptomatic and for that reason, not infectious. Yeah, that’s going to happen.</p>
<p>The primary rule of medicine is : First do no harm. </p>
<p>He started feeling symptomatic and still went out in public. Whether he was infectious or not, now a huge public health operation with contact lists will begin. That has to be factored in. It’s a cost. </p>
<p>This may sound really mean…but…if I had a loved one in DWB who returned home, we would not have any physical contact for 21 days. I am definitely in the non hysterical camp, in that I think most of the stories have been over the top( bridal store, school closings etc). However, if I am his girlfriend, other than a hug, there will be nothing more if you get my drift. I mean even if he thought he was invincible, hasn’t she watched the news for the past three weeks? I</p>