What To Do When Ebola Arrives

I have encountered many diseases in the course of a lifetime. Most of the relatively rare ones, not personally, but professionally. Professionally, I've encountered them through psychiatry from medical clerkship and internship. MOD status in emergency rooms, civilian and Air Force. Entities like multiple myeloma, aortic and cerebral aneurysm, cancer, diabetes, etc. are among the reasons people die. Although they are somatic or metabolic illnesses and are not considered epidemic fostering. In terms of illnesses capable of epidemic spread, I've encountered, diptheria, syphyllis, gonorrhea, measles, mumps, chickenpox, etc.

The most frightening was an overseas encounter with epidemic meningococcemia while at Johnson AFB (6022nd USAF Hospital) in Irumgawa, Japan just outside of Tokyo. This was quite an experience as we fought it off with sulfonamides requiring all base personnel to go on a three-day regimen. Almost all of the available penicillin was down south near Army Camp Zuma. They were battling resistant gonorrhea, which was affectionately called bull clap by U.S. servicemen. It was a lesson in how social behavior affects tools needed in emergency context. We were fortunate because only the index case, an 11-year-old traveling with his family from Europe died. I have seen dengue, parasitosis, psittacossis, etc. but I have never seen Ebola.

Ebola has at least four strains, probably five, of virus which can infect the skin, respiratory tract, gut, and eyes. The viruses can prosper and proliferate in any and all tissues. Only one strain seems to be of airborne risk. What is different about Ebola is that it is of animal origin and spreads to humans through contact or ingestion (bush meat). Monkeys, gorillas, chimpanzees, and bats are animal hosts in Africa. The disease vacillates between human and animal hosts. Its spread to populated areas in Africa e.g. cities with airports and large populations means that inevitably, infected people are or will be traveling. They will getting by crude checks like temperature, pulse, and respiration. Once the disease reaches our shores in numbers. Some of the following could be useful.

If you are a homeowner, clearing your property of foliage that could hide rodents or bats is a good idea. Carrying alcohol hand cleansers is probably advisable. Staying away from crowded areas, reporting promptly to emergency rooms or care centers for cough, headache, nausea, or dizziness symptoms is advisable. Having masks for your nose and mouth when traveling is wise. If giving life support assistance to someone, concentrate on chest compression and avoid mouth to mouth resuscitation unless a distancing apparatus is available.

It is likely that the epidemic spread of this disorder will be like fire, primarily through the homeless and poor in congested areas. It seems clear that there needs to be planning on a national level reaching down to local levels beginning NOW. Contact your representatives and ask what they are doing, and what are the next levels of government doing.