EBOLA, too close for comfort

[tombogan03884]

If this is needed why don't they just have the medical staff take off the hoods.
I think this explanation is BS.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/10/16/airline-says-unprotected-man-during-ebola-patient-transport-was-a-protocol-supervisor/

The man observing Wednesday’s transport of the Dallas nurse without a hazmat suit on was a “protocol supervisor” who wasn’t wearing protective gear for a “higher level of safety,” an airline representative said.
Our medical professionals in the biohazard suits have limited vision and mobility and it is the protocol supervisor’s job to watch each person carefully and give them verbal directions to ensure no close-contact protocols are violated,” a Phoenix Air representative told ABC News. “There is absolutely no problem with this and in fact [e]nsures an even higher level of safety for all involved.”

The patient, 29-year-old Amber Vinson, was being flown to Emory Hospital for treatment after becoming the second Dallas health worker to test positive for Ebola virus after caring for Thomas Eric Duncan.

An official said Thursday that Nina Pham, the first nurse diagnosed with Ebola after treating Duncan, would be moved to a National Institutes of Health facility just outside of Washington, D.C., for treatment.

[fatbaldguy]

Just finished making certain that I have 60-90 days of food.  I have a well, so I have water.  I only have 1500 rounds (avg) for each caliber of firearm I have.  Time to buy more ammo.

[McGyver]

Not to nitpick your post, but . . .   

It's not the number of people who die, it is the mortality rate, which for ebola is ca. 70% of the cases die. With flu, the mortality rate is in the single digits IIRC.

As for it being politicized, well, yeah, that's the point. Look at how this government handled the original cases. They ignored the cases in Africa, then, without fanfare, announced they were bringing the 2 missionaries with ebola into the US, completely bypassing the question of "should we". They just did it. And since both recovered, they can now say "See, no big deal, we can handle this." Only they can't.

It reminds me of the scene in V for Vendetta where John Hurt as the Big Brother figure announces angrily that "We need to remind people why they need us". Think this is happening right before the election by coincidence? Think that the US government owning a patent on an ebola strain is a coincidence? Or the fact that the US .gov owns the only trial cure?

As to the OP - anywhere in the western hemisphere is too close for comfort. It is not a disease anyone here is prepared to handle - witness CDC and the Dallas hospital. Nor is there any real biological resistance to the disease, no natural immunities, which means the mortality rate here could be much higher than 70%. Especially since we don't have a clue as to why the 30% of the victims in Africa survive.

Remember how we were taught in school how evil and vile the North American settlers were in the 17th through 19th Centuries were for giving smallpox-infected blankets to the Indians? Bringing ebola into this country intentionally is the same thing IMHO.

Or, we can play the "What If" game! What if this single digit casualty-rated Entero68 flu virus was released on us (just in time for flu season)  to weaken our immune systems so Ebola's casualty rate can skyrocket to 90%? Just something to think about!

[billt]

Our medical professionals in the biohazard suits have limited vision and mobility and it is the protocol supervisor’s job to watch each person carefully and give them verbal directions to ensure no close-contact protocols are violated,” a Phoenix Air representative told ABC News.

So I guess all race car drivers should ditch their crash helmets and HANS Devices because they have, "Limited vision and mobility", when they wear them. Everything associated with this disease is bringing out the total and complete stupidity in most every single person who is in charge of it.

[alfsauve]

So why do we need an Ebola Czar?  Because maybe somebody's not stepping up to their responsibilities.  I mean the CDC is primarily a research and advisory agency, NIH and Surgen General are more concerned with daily health and fitness, and the DHS is a law enforcement agency BUT HHS.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the U.S. government’s principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves.

HHS is responsible for almost a quarter of all federal outlays and administers more grant dollars than all other federal agencies combined.

Specifically the Office of Preparedness and Response.

Nicole Lurie, M.D., M.S.P.H.

Dr. Lurie is the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) at the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The mission of her office is to lead the nation in preventing, responding to and recovering from the adverse health effects of public health emergencies and disasters, ranging from hurricanes to bioterrorism.

Ever heard of Dr. Lurie?   I think we have a leadership failure.   Sure the CDC can recommend protocols, but who should be in the forefront of determining what to do about travelers arriving from infected regions?  Whether you're for or against travel restrictions, who should have been in forefront of determining that and presenting it?

And this agency spends 25% of all federal monies!   WOW.   I'm don't think I'm getting my money's worth.

Meanwhile they (HHS) has time to pin on Pinterest about how important it is to sign up for Obamacare, or how healthy it can be to play hockey.  Ebola press releases or statements.   ONE.   They've funded a one year study of vaccines.

[Sponsor]

[tombogan03884]

Another good candidate for response would be what used to be called the Army's Bio warfare unit.
We don't do "Bio warfare" any more, but the unit, with facilities at Ft Detrick, and Natick Ma, still does the same research into infectious diseases.

[billt]

Czar = Someone for Obama to appoint to do the leg work so he can use his legs to play golf.

[Solus]

Czar = Someone for Obama to appoint to do the leg work so he can use his legs to play golf.

More than that.  The job comes with a uniform that can the stand impact and force of being run over by a Greyhound

[kmitch200]

So why do we need an Ebola Czar?  Because maybe somebody's not stepping up to their responsibilities.

Geez Alf....it's almost like you want someone to do their job or something. 
Pissing away Trillions of Dollars has got to keep them pretty busy.
Can't be bothered to you know, actually DO something for their paycheck.

[alfsauve]

There are still the "deniers" out there who keep parroting the "don't panic" line from the CDC.   A recent article even linked "panic'ers" with low math and science skills.   

For the record.  I have 12 credit hours each of math and chemistry from Georgia Institute of Technology, as well as 12 credit hours of statistics from University of South Florida and Georgia State University.    I don't think I'm in the "low math and science skills" category.   I'm not panic'd, but I am concerned with our government's handling of the current crisis and it's ability going forward.

The question then is:  When is it time to panic?

I couldn't find a clear and concise chart from the CDC, but I took the following (with some editing) from World Health Organization.  You might want to customize it as you see fit.   This is from a white paper titled, WHO global influenza preparedness plan and while it was mainly addressing influenza virus I think it could be appropriately used with any transmittable malady.

I think we're on Phase 3 bordering on going Phase 4.    I believe the time to prepare is now and the time to panic is when we are at full Phase 4 going to Phase 5.



Interpandemic Period

Phase 1. No new subtypes have been detected in humans. A subtype that has caused human infection may be present in animals. If present in animals, the risk  of human infection or disease is considered to be low.

Phase 2. No new subtypes have been detected in humans.  However, a circulating animal subtype poses a substantial risk of human disease.

Pandemic Alert Period

Phase 3. Human infections with a new subtype, but no human-to-human spread, at most rare instances of spread to a close
contact.

Phase 4. Small clusters with limited human-to-human transmission but spread is highly localized.

Phase 5. Larger clusters but human-to-human spread still localized, (substantial pandemic risk)

Pandemic Period

Phase 6. Pandemic phase: increased and sustained transmission in general  population.