<p>And why is it the US’s responsibility only? There is something missing here - like other countries. Interesting that a person comes here under false pretenses, gets sick, we take care of him. spreads his disease to us, then his family and Jesse Jackson etc. call our country racist even though we took care of him. And now it is our responsibility to send them our tax dollars? Sorry, I do not think so. </p>
<p>Again sounds admirable, but other country’s citizens are not our responsibility to the level you claim or hope.</p>
<p>For a look at how a potential smallpox epidemic was prevented from spreading throughout Europe, Google the 1972 Yugoslavia smallpox quarantine. One man brought smallpox into Yugoslavia from Iraq. Before it was identified as smallpox, 150 people had it. Draconian quarantine measures were taken. Fortunately there was a smallpox vaccine which was mandated for everyone and a major smallpox epidemic was prevented. While smallpox may be more contagious than Ebola, with Ebola there is no vaccine. </p>
Thats untrue. Meningitis can be deadly even when treated. And then there is the difference between viral and bacterial meningitis, which you neglect to differentiate.</p>
<p>I just got my flu shot today. Very crowded. The woman next to me said she was selecting the 4 strain over the 3 strain because she was worried about Ebola. Wow, the ignorance about this disease is frightening.</p>
<p>There is no shortage of leadership here - there is a shortage of logic. </p>
<p>A new SG could make no difference if the decision-taking is conducted using the same logic, as the CDC and other institutions, which I suspect the person would be chosen because they think just like that. We would experience no advancement if all that is done if the SG’s coordination is of same illogic and continued poltically-correct approaches.</p>
<p>I do very much appreciate you getting in the mix on this thread. But, as I read your suggestions, my takeaway is that you take zero account of the costs of your suggestions and only see “help” in a tunnel vision of money, not in the efficacy of efficient processes. There is nothing efficient about many of your suggestions, and many have incentives to build in even more inefficiencies. There are many ways to do things, which get the jobs done that do not cost anything near your suggestions. </p>
<p>Even though I disagree with many of your suggestions, please be careful when you travel and protect yourself well as possible, as you assist Ebola patients. </p>
<p>I am not sure what you are saying is untrue, as I was comparing it to Ebola. I never said meningitis was never fatal, but if treated, compared to Ebola, meningitis is godsend to have. Of course, some people die from any disease, but it was a comparison I was making, </p>
<p>Ebola has a 60 -90% mortality rate regardless, as compared to bacterial meningitis which is the most common form of meningitis (represents 80%+ of cases) has only a 10% death rate, IF untreated. However, if treated, actually 95%+ of people recover from bacterial meningitis. </p>
<p>There is no such high level of recovery from Ebola, even with treatment. That was the point I was making and that is why a ban on flights would make no sense for meningitis. Plus, meningitis is much easier to not catch using basic preventive measures. Again, no such basic preventative measures exist re Ebola.</p>
<p>And viral meningitis has an even a lower mortality rate (below 2%) than bacterial meningitis, so it was not even on the radar screen of the discussion for me. Therefore, to compare the viral meningitis to Ebola would be like comparing the common cold to Ebola - would make no sense.</p>
<p>awcntdb, SAY WHAT?! The confidence with which you make your proclamations is seriously misplaced.</p>
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<p>Of course treatment improves greatly the chance of survival, but it needs to be at early onset; still your statement is false, because even with treatment, death can occur. I’ve seen young patients die of meningitis in spite of aggressive ICU measures.</p>
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<p>There is no vaccine approved in the United States for the prevention of serogroup B meningococcal disease.7,8
In 2012, approximately 40% of meningococcal disease cases in the United States were caused by serogroup B11.</p>
<p>Your point is taken that ebola has a higher mortality rate even with treatment, but YOU SAID meningitis is “only really fatal IF untreated,” and that is absolutely false.</p>
<p>Local Dallas news is reporting that the nurse has received a blood transfusion from one of the American ebola survivors. I am SO GLAD to hear that she was a blood type match. Crossing fingers that this will give her a major boost to fight this infection.</p>
<p>They are also reporting that “the most experienced ebola doctor in the United States is on site at Presbyterian Hospital” and is involved in her care.</p>
<p>Therein lies the problem. We have a public crisis, different ideas, some coming from people who treat infectious patients directly, and their ideas are pushed aside. Guess what, we are spending millions being reactive to this crisis. We should have led this effort sooner even when it wasn’t politically important. But here are our other choices: Let’s not send aid to Africa, let’s not fund patients, and let’s ban the flights. We will spend billions later when Ebola becomes our problem. </p>
<p>Suppose Ebola hit Cuba: we can ban all flights out of Cuba and screen those entering our country who traveled to Cuba. Guess what, tens of thousands of American travelers to Cuba would get into the US and we would never know it. Their passports are never stamped. Ebola already exist in the Philippines. Should we wait for an outbreak or screen Filipinos too?</p>
<p>Anyway, I am sure politics will drag this effort down and we will all be facing Ebola in our backyard someday soon.</p>
<p>"Therein lies the problem. We have a public crisis, different ideas, some coming from people who treat infectious patients directly, and their ideas are pushed aside. "</p>
<p>Thanks, Frugal Doc. I made an addition Docs Without Borders contribution.</p>
<p>I think it would be helpful to have designated hospitals for treatment. A nurse on NPR today reported how she and others need so much more education on protocol. If 1 hospital in Boston was the designated place, than that staff could be trained, the appropriate gear available, and beds made ready.</p>
It is not correct. And no amount of qualifying makes it correct. And most people are very aware of the difference between viral and bacterial meningitis. Bacterial meningitis is a DANGEROUS illness, especially if not caught early, with potentially permanent consequences in about 20% of patients who survive, and it has about a 10-15% fatality rate. Why else would colleges require students to be innocculated. Sure, its not ebola. But its is not to be minimized or taken lightly. </p>
<p>AAh, I just saw that Nrdsb4 already addressed this significant misstatement of fact.Thank you, Nrdsb4.</p>
<p>My hospital is quickly preparing an Ebola unit and I’m sure training will follow rapidly. It’s time to be prepared now though it’s scary. Mr Duncan entered this country just a few short miles up the road from here. </p>
It sounds good in principle, but I’m not sure how practical it is. Yes, once a patient is diagnosed, maybe they can be transported to Nebraska or Georgia for treatment, but what about when they first come in to the hospital or to their doctor? And what if they are too sick at first to be transported? The local hospitals still have to be ready to some extent to deal with people walking in with a case of Ebola. </p>
Lovely attitude. A cup of xenophobia mixed with a gallon of insults of the public agencies trying to deal with this on many levels. Gotta love all the armchair quarterbacking.</p>
<p>On the other thread about applying to colleges in Dallas, several people on this thread (including you, I believe) claimed that this is not true; essentially that Ebola in Dallas is nothing to fear. Which is it? People get confused when they hear both that Ebola is the worst health crisis of the decade on the one hand, and then that it is NBD when it is found in Dallas on the other.</p>
<p>As far as I know, it has never been stated that “THE NURSE” broke protocol. It simply said protocol was broken. That could include faulty PPE, or lack of PPE, or any number of things not related to the nurse at all. </p>
<p>They don’t know specifically which protocol was broken. But since we know ebola virus doesn’t penetrate proper PPE equipment, SOMETHING wasn’t done or a mistake was made. </p>
<p>I’ve said this over and over: It’s no shame if the nurse made a mistake, if that’s what happened. It in NO WAY implies incompetence or something wrong with her practice. I’ve never met a nurse who hasn’t erred in her career. It could happen to anyone, no matter how conscientious.</p>