https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 08 Apr 2026 23:05:21 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/5#post-1904878 Fri, 17 Oct 2014 09:17:01 +0000 MrsSCB 1904878@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@avivoca: Right? It is so frustrating. Especially since over 1 billion people live in Africa, over 4 million in Liberia, and so far under 9,000 people have actually had ebola. And yet, it seems anyone with dark skin and an accent now has the potential to be treated like a leper. Just sad. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/5#post-1904729 Fri, 17 Oct 2014 08:06:36 +0000 avivoca 1904729@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: It really pains me to read this article. Thanks for sharing, even though it's really depressing. I really dislike people sometimes too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/5#post-1904702 Fri, 17 Oct 2014 07:40:40 +0000 FliegepilzHut 1904702@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@IRunForFun: That was a great read! Thanks for sharing! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/5#post-1904686 Fri, 17 Oct 2014 07:30:38 +0000 MrsSCB 1904686@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>And the xenophobia is already spreading faster than ebola... I hate people sometimes. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/west-africans-in-washington-say-they-are-being-stigmatized-because-of-ebola-fear/2014/10/16/39442d18-54c6-11e4-892e-602188e70e9c_story.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/west-africans-in-washington-say-they-are-being-stigmatized-because-of-ebola-fear/2014/10/16/39442d18-54c6-11e4-892e-602188e70e9c_story.html</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/5#post-1903929 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 16:34:07 +0000 IRunForFun 1903929@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: I know right? I think the points about anticipating more cases and also getting a flu shot/not going to the ER worrying you have ebola symptoms if you've had no exposure were good too, just from a quelling the hysteria standpoint.</p> <p>Oh and also, defining exactly what monitoring and quarantining are. Not just expecting people to come up with their own definitions and then pointing fingers. Seriously, just draw up some guidelines and stick to them!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903841 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 15:25:18 +0000 MrsSCB 1903841@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@IRunForFun: That was really interesting, thanks for sharing! I feel especially strongly about number one. This has been an issue in West Africa for a long time, but few people in the U.S. care until it enters our borders. The charities that have been bravely fighting the disease in a place that doesn't have a lot of resources and sanitation continue to be grossly underfunded. And still I've seen so many people say, "We need to take care of things here, let Africa take care of itself." A lot of this country lacks compassion, pure and simple. Here's a thought -- if we'd been helping stamp this out in Africa even earlier, maybe it never would have even gotten here! Anyone freaking out about ebola here should consider donating to MSF or another worthy charity to deal with it in Africa. Oh, and let's get a surgeon general, shall we? Omfg, I can't believe it's taken this long to approve the nomination. Pathetic. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903816 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 15:12:33 +0000 IRunForFun 1903816@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I thought this was a good read: </p> <p><a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ebola-virus-outbreak/bioethicist-10-things-america-needs-do-about-ebola-n226771" rel="nofollow">http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ebola-virus-outbreak/bioethicist-10-things-america-needs-do-about-ebola-n226771</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903703 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 14:27:04 +0000 FliegepilzHut 1903703@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Grace: @catomd00: Yes to all of this!</p> <p>@Mrs.KMM: I'm sorry if "moon suit" is not technically correct. Full-body coverage (like MSF uses) was what I had in mind. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903653 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 14:00:35 +0000 Grace 1903653@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@catomd00: Sure. They flew people over from Africa to be treated at Emory. No reason they can't do that for domestic cases. They do still have to implement the protocols and have training in them for the time between diagnosis and transport though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903603 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 13:38:34 +0000 catomd00 1903603@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@FliegepilzHut: I too thought it was adding to the hysteria and fear-mongering!<br /> @MrsSCB: Couldn't not agree with you more on the xenophobia issue. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903571 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 13:29:19 +0000 JoJoGirl 1903571@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@catomd00: LOL! I'll be sure to warn my parents... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903567 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 13:28:16 +0000 catomd00 1903567@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JoJoGirl: well don't come back to visit any time soon, we've got ebola heading this way! ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903564 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 13:27:37 +0000 catomd00 1903564@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@alohaorchid: I'd risk losing my job and license to not treat that patient, especially if I knew I was not adequately trained to care for them or had access to the proper equipment. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903560 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 13:27:03 +0000 JoJoGirl 1903560@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@catomd00: I grew up walking distance from you :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903557 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 13:26:24 +0000 JoJoGirl 1903557@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Grace: YES.</p> <p>There still haven't been any community-acquired cases, so I'm still not "worried", but am rather disappointed/infuriated/horrified at what has already happened in Dallas. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903554 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 13:25:41 +0000 catomd00 1903554@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlebug: I hear you about the CDC worker, but really I'm just over the passing the blame game to be honest. She's a nurse, she should have known better! Fever or not, it's common sense when you're in that close of contact with a highly infectious patient you don't go gallivanting around in public during self monitoring. </p> <p>I'm also over the mass hysteria and now people in my state freaking out that a patient may be coming here (to NIH). We are ALL safer if these patients are dealt with in the FOUR facilities that are equipped to handle them properly. No good comes of keeping these patients in regular hospitals that have no idea what they're doing when it comes to this kind of thing (not that it's their fault, it just is what it is!) Having the right protective gear and teaching someone how to put it on/take it off properly is not the whole equation. You need to be experienced and have practice with using the equipment and robing/disrobing properly. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903539 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 13:19:54 +0000 HLK208 1903539@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Grace: I feel the same way. The nurses didn't even wear booties and they were dealing with the bodily fluids...everywhere. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903533 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 13:16:19 +0000 Grace 1903533@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have to say, I'm really disgusted at the response to Ebola. Originally, I said, you don't have to worry about it. This is a first-world country with the infrastructure and people and procedures to handle it. There will not be many cases. But I think I looked at my knowledge on Ebola (I've been involved in Ebola research) and forgot that what I would consider "common sense" might not be common sense to lay people. And I'm wondering if a similar thing happened when these protocols were given to the hospitals. Did the CDC assume that hospitals (who have never seen Ebola or any other level 4 pathogen) would know that masks, gown, gloves and face sheild aren't enough? I would expect tyvek suits, tyvek hoods, disposible boots, double-gloved, the seam between gloves and boots to the suit be taped, mask, face sheild. Minimum. I would expect trained people arriving to teach staff how to take that gear off without contaminating themselves. I would expect protocols for how to deal with highly infectious waste. I would expect people to arrive at that hospital giving them hands-on help and assistance and training. My gosh, I have more protective gear in a level 2 lab (which is used for bacteria that is pathogenic, but has treatment) than these people seemed to have in the hospital. I expected better.</p> <p>... and don't get me started on the nurse who thought it was appropriate to break quarentine and get on a plane. </p> <p>Rant over. ...maybe. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903412 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 12:18:07 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 1903412@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@FliegepilzHut: @Mrs.KMM: thank you both for weighing in and clarifying! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903379 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 12:05:22 +0000 Maysprout 1903379@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Glad I don't have a TV to watch the hype. But there has been a lack of appropriate handling by both the CDC and the Texas Hospital which is only feeding the hype. Any teaching hospital should have some laboratory safety expert who could have easily set up and over saw people to make sure they were dressing and undressing appropriately using clean and dirty hallways and scrubbing afterwards. It seems that this strain of ebola doesn't cause as much hemorrhaging as other strains and most of the infections seem to occur after the disease has significantly progressed. However it would have been wise for the CDC to be more cautious instead of banking on probably. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903339 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 11:48:01 +0000 MrsSCB 1903339@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs.KMM: Exactly. Ridiculous and possibly dangerous. I'm honestly concerned this might stir up xenophobia in this country (or more than we already have...) particularly aimed at Africans. I've read articles with quotes from Liberian communities in the U.S. saying they're afraid of how they will be treated, and I don't think that fear is unfounded, unfortunately. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903330 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 11:44:16 +0000 Mrs.KMM 1903330@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. High Heels: That article starts out decently but then turns into total fear-mongering.</p> <p>For instance, only ~18% of people with Ebola experience the bleeding/oozing/hemorrhaging that this nurse talks about so no, Ebola patients aren't just walking around with blood in all of their bodily secretions. And for those 18% of patients who do experience bleeding, it doesn't come until the very latest stages of disease (about 24-48 hours before death).</p> <p>And this talk of people treating the patients wearing "space suits" isn't typically accurate either. I've not seen inside the isolation units in Atlanta and Nebraska but I do know that most of the healthcare workers in Africa are not wearing "space suits". They are wearing barrier coverall suits (ex. Tyvek), double gloves, goggles, rubber boots, and face masks. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903316 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 11:37:02 +0000 FliegepilzHut 1903316@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. High Heels: Disclaimer: I stopped reading about 2/3 of the way in...but I'm not sure how helpful her commentary is (this from a fellow HC worker). YES...Ebola, the disease, is terrifying. It's scary for a number of reasons that she pointed out-- it's exotic; it's transmitted differently than most viruses; it's miserable (if you contract it); and it has an extraordinarily high mortality rate (treated supportively, in Africa...there are very few "orphan" drugs with any known efficacy against Ebola and they are in very short supply). However, to become infected with Ebola...you have to be in DIRECT CONTACT with either an Ebola patient or their bodily fluids. Until recently, this just meant avoiding travel to regions suffering Ebola outbreaks...but now that we've had cases in the US (all connected with a single index case from Africa), it all boils down to infection control (meaning appropriately limiting contact with infected patients through PPE and other protocols) to halt the spread of infection. And because the transmission of Ebola is a little different, that burden primarily falls on healthcare workers, who should be operating with a high index of suspicion for all potential contacts of an Ebola patient. I think my problem with her blog was that really, no one wants/needs to hear the blow-by-blow of any disease...I feel that it is unduly alarmist and fear-mongering. :sad: Just my 2cents, though.</p> <p>ETA: It sounded like her argument was: no, REALLY-- here's why you should panic! And, really, panic is very rarely a helpful response.</p> <p>@TemperanceBrennan: I think it makes a lot of sense at this point, to get all of these patients, upon identification, to tertiary centers with rigid protocols in place and years of prior bioterrorism/disaster training! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903276 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 11:15:29 +0000 Mrs.KMM 1903276@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: The fear-mongering and outright lies by the media are driving me crazy. I work in an immunology research lab and read non-fiction books about virology, infectious diseases, and public health for fun. The hysteria over this is so unfounded and is becoming down-right ridiculous, IMO. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903247 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 10:59:35 +0000 MrsSCB 1903247@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@alohaorchid: Oh totally, people are really quick to become paranoid. Especially when it comes to scary, mysterious diseases. My guess about why we haven't heard much more about the family is it's out of respect for their privacy. They're grieving a loss and they're waiting around to see if any of them contracted the same scary disease. I feel really bad for them :-/</p> <p>Semi-related -- I thought this was a great article on the whole freakout happening right now: "We Americans do panic really well. We could use a few pointers on prudence." <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/15/opinion/frank-bruni-scarier-than-ebola.html?_r=0" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/15/opinion/frank-bruni-scarier-than-ebola.html?_r=0</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903223 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 10:47:07 +0000 alohaorchid 1903223@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@FliegepilzHut: It's a major Canadian city and the two hospitals are fairly new, one is about 2 years old and the Children's one is less than 10 years old. The city said they have approx. 1000 hazmat suits for the hospitals and emergency responders.</p> <p>@MrsSCB: I agree completely, I dont' think it would ever be hidden. I just think the lack of reporting on the family is making people paranoid. I read another article that was interviewing parents pulling their kids out of school in Dallas to homeschool them because of Ebola fear. Nuts.</p> <p>@TemperanceBrennan: Education and training is #1 in all of this I think. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903211 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 10:41:56 +0000 MrsSCB 1903211@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@TemperanceBrennan: @JoJoGirl: Totally agreed. I'm so frustrated with the way the media is handling this. And I say that as a former member of the media, haha. I know how focused things are on getting the most clicks and the most eyes on your work, but now it's coming at the expense of public sanity. I think this is an awesome info graphic from the CDC that should be shared more:</p> <p>[attach=2844/14/ndjnlx.462x600.infographic.jpg] </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903210 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 10:41:45 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 1903210@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Been following this thread closely, but haven't been sure what to say. It's interesting to me that the media talks a lot about protective gear and number of cases, but little about what actually happens to a person who contracts Ebola. I feel like everything is being downplayed by the media, and I'll be honest, I'm very very nervous about the whole situation. It just doesn't seem like it's as hard to contract as they're making it out to be. </p> <p>Someone posted this on FB today - can someone weigh in on her thoughts? <a href="http://dtolar.wordpress.com/2014/10/01/ebola-a-nurses-perspective/" rel="nofollow">http://dtolar.wordpress.com/2014/10/01/ebola-a-nurses-perspective/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903202 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 10:37:19 +0000 JoJoGirl 1903202@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@TemperanceBrennan: Agreed. The media is going COMPLETELY OVERBOARD. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-confirmed-ebola-case-in-usa/page/4#post-1903198 Thu, 16 Oct 2014 10:35:54 +0000 Shutterbug 1903198@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@rachiecakes: LOL... just walled you! </p>