Hot(zone)lanta
I'm looking forward to going home to Atlanta later this month to see my family and go to DragonCon. I have done less about cosplaying than I meant to, but we'll see what can be done in the last few weeks, and I have no problems with either sticking to old costumes or spending day out of costume. So in the midst of my overall excitement about the ( Read more... )
I also believe that the main reason for getting those patients to the US is to do better research on them and come up with what to do in case a tourist brings the virus to a Western country.
What I don't like is the media who keeps on saying that there's no need to worry about people travelling at all, because if someone had it they'd isolate them immediately - yeah, well, unless they're too scared to come forward with it and see an actual doctor about it. I don't think anyone's actually keen on being isolated, knowing they carry a deadly disease that will probably kill them. It's like going to the dentist for a check-up - you don't want to go because you're scared he will find something... even if that's silly because obviously the cavity is there no matter if someone finds it or not. But not knowing for sure might give you some peace of mind. ;)
Uh, but my rambling wasn't supposed to scare you. Like I said, I don't think the healtcare workers trusted with those patients would react the way a tourist would, so no need to seriously worry. Just ask people to respect your personal space. I wouldn't want to come into contact with people's sweat even when they're healthy :P
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Yes, of course. As I said, this was more of a what if exercise than something I actually worry about, and what you point out is one of the reasons. Realistically, I don't envision any healthcare worker who knows they are working with Ebola ignoring any symptoms, however mild, and supposedly the virus isn't contagious until the patient is symptomatic.
What I don't like is the media who keeps on saying that there's no need to worry about people travelling at all, because if someone had it they'd isolate them immediately - yeah, well, unless they're too scared to come forward with it and see an actual doctor about it. I don't think anyone's actually keen on being isolated, knowing they carry a deadly disease that will probably kill them
Good point! I agree that it's possible that a traveler who was exposed in Africa, traveled before they started showing symptoms, and then didn't immediately report to a doctor might spread it to others. It's a scary thing.
However, I do suspect that any outbreak in a developed country would most likely be fairly small and contained. While it's certainly possible that someone might do something dumb like going to a SF convention despite feeling ill, thus potentially exposing lots of people, most people stay home when they get sick. Even if they were out in public the chance of transmission to bystanders is low since Ebola requires direct contact with bodily fluids. (From what I read, sweat can do it, but it's not nearly as infectious as blood, feces, or semen.) Probably an infected traveler would only expose family and close friends. The virus might be passed on to a few people, but as soon as any one of them became ill enough to go see a doctor who thought to ask about travel to the outbreak area by friends/family, I suspect that the outbreak would be contained very swiftly from there.
Just ask people to respect your personal space. I wouldn't want to come into contact with people's sweat even when they're healthy
Very true. However, DragonCon has over 45,000 people bumping into each other in crowded corridors, riding the same escalators, packing close-together seating for panels, and occasionally stepping outside into the 90˚F heat to get extra sweaty. Pretty sure I've come into contact with other people's sweat there before, LOL.
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