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Re: Doctor rushed to Bellevue Hospital with Ebola symptoms went bowling a day earlier
The only part of that I agree with is the doctor could have realized the U.S. is in full blown 'freak out' mode over Ebola and he could have done a better job avoiding obvious public places like a bowling alley for the three weeks or so.
I especially have a hard time attributing arrogance and selfishness to someone whose actions treating Ebola patients, for months apparently, are essential to actually containing the spread of the disease. He might pay for that with his life. A trained physician relying on the best available science about how the disease is spread and when he's at risk of spreading it is what we should expect. What he failed at was PR in a panicked country. If there's anyone to blame for that, it is the PR hacks and political people, not the doctor.
And it's fine to be concerned about something becoming airborne, but that hasn't happened. HIV mutates and 'could' become airborne, but we don't treat HIV as an airborne disease because it isn't. Ebola is no different - there's a risk according to experts, but it hasn't happened yet, so public policy need not treat it as an airborne threat.
Yes, our most densely packed metropolis -- let's indeed pray.
Though the good doctor most certainly did not intend for anything bad to happen, epidemic-wise, I'm struck by the following two likely scenarios:
1. Either he knew he was sufficiently exposed to blood, vomit, and feces in West Africa to warrant him returning to America for the best care and his behavior was selfish and arrogant in not immediately self-isolating and contacting the CDC and demanding protective isolation quarantine ..
.. or 2. he didn't think he could possibly have the disease as he knew he didn't have sufficient exposure to blood, vomit, and feces, wore what he believed was adequate protection when he was treating patients in West Africa .. and he was wrong about how the disease can be transmitted. :shock:
Though the great majority of medical professionals think like this doctor with respect to how the disease is transmitted, virologists are, nevertheless, concerned about mutation to airborne.
The less exposure our populace takes, the less likely the disease will mutate to airborne here.
The only part of that I agree with is the doctor could have realized the U.S. is in full blown 'freak out' mode over Ebola and he could have done a better job avoiding obvious public places like a bowling alley for the three weeks or so.
I especially have a hard time attributing arrogance and selfishness to someone whose actions treating Ebola patients, for months apparently, are essential to actually containing the spread of the disease. He might pay for that with his life. A trained physician relying on the best available science about how the disease is spread and when he's at risk of spreading it is what we should expect. What he failed at was PR in a panicked country. If there's anyone to blame for that, it is the PR hacks and political people, not the doctor.
And it's fine to be concerned about something becoming airborne, but that hasn't happened. HIV mutates and 'could' become airborne, but we don't treat HIV as an airborne disease because it isn't. Ebola is no different - there's a risk according to experts, but it hasn't happened yet, so public policy need not treat it as an airborne threat.