Skip to Content
Register · Login
About Theme

A Letterboxing Community

Atlas Quest
Search Edit Search

Read Thread: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice

Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861227 by Sharkboy and Lavagirl
Aug 1, 2014 3:27am
Thread (disabled) Board
The whole chicungunya (probably spelled sooooo wrong) mosquito virus (?) really freaks me out too, especially living in Florida.

What is all this I hear about chimichangas? Aren't we supposed to be biting them?

- Roseanne Rosannadanna
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861218 by Sharkboy and Lavagirl
Aug 1, 2014 5:52am
Thread (disabled) Board
Lava Girl,

As a former microbiologist, this horrifies me, too. I think this is all about US ego, and I don't think they should be evacuating people with such a virulent and deadly virus. As another friend of mine, who works in healthcare safety, also pointed out, it was a special exception to Liberia closing it's borders. So anyone with enough clout, and a "special enough" case can just be allowed out? It doesn't seem fair.

I pray they can contain it. It is not the same as keeping a little vial that is already inside a level 4 CDC lab contained. It is a person in some kind of bubble contraption, in an airplane. Gosh, I wouldn't even want to touch Tue airplane after they were in it.

Also, although tuenUS may be able to treat this person better, because they already know what is going on, IF a disease like this breaks out in the US, our general physicians are not accustomed to detecting it, our labs in regular hospitals don't regularly screen for it, and many tropical infectious diseases have to have samples or cultures sent out to State Health Departments or even the CDC, for identification. That takes a long time.

When my son caught Typhoid and Amoebiasis in the Philippines 4 years ago, it took the Philippines hospital 2 hours to diagnose typhoid (takes up to 2 weeks in the US). This is because we don't see it a pot and we have to send our cultures out for final results. We can only get a preliminary ID, which takes a few days. There, they are so used to seeing it, it is included as a blood test in their basic emergency room diarrhea screen.

Then when we came back to the US, the pedi here had NO idea how to follow up on it. He couldn't even get a hold of an Infectious Disease doctor that knew what to do, because here we deal with MRSA, CDiff and VRE, not typhoid.

So my worry is not the CDC, but if it spread, the general practitioners can't diagnose and contain it quickly enough.

I don't like it at all.
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861218 by Sharkboy and Lavagirl
Aug 1, 2014 6:12am
Thread (disabled) Board
What's most gross about this is I suspect these two people are going to be nothing but medical guinea pigs. This is just an excuse to get them over here and poke and prod and try to experiment and examine. From what I understand, all they can really do is try to provide basic treatment of the symptoms and give lots of fluids and painkillers, etc. They can already do that there and are already doing that there. Given the terrible nature of this disease, I wish they'd keep it localized. Still, if these two do come home? I hope they beat it. It's such an enormous risk to take, I really do hope it pays off.
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861255 by PiggyJaunt
Aug 1, 2014 6:18am
Thread (disabled) Board
I wholeheartedly agree with this. There has to be more to this story.

It could be that they are being moved for safety for many, did someone expose them on purpose, is there a new type of terrorists response, etc. has to be more....

.....having been in a lab and knowing that things were not always what they seem. I agree it is alarming, but the reasons have to be great.

What don't we know.....
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861255 by PiggyJaunt
Aug 1, 2014 7:02am
Thread (disabled) Board
Interesting theory....

I was also thinking, if they are in critical condition, sounds likely they will die, anyway. But I hadn't considered that they might try to make vaccines or something from them. Hmm.

Of course, I approve of vaccines being researched, but it still bothers me, all the unknowns. And of course they wouldn't announce their intentions if that is the case. I have to trust the CDC on this one, but it is still scary to me.

Hate to be a pessimist, but I read The Coming Plague and Ebola is awful. The stuff of nightmares and Hollywood movies. I have considered making a letterbox series based on it. I even purchased some items for props! Now I guess I might wait a bit on that!
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861255 by PiggyJaunt
Aug 1, 2014 7:23am
Thread (disabled) Board
Floridafour- Great points!

PiggyJaunt- I suspect you are correct. I'm pretty sure the CDC in Atlanta has some special exerperimental treatments up there sleeve for this which have not been tested. This would be a great way for them to get two guinee pigs to try their theories out on. Also, my concerns about bringing this to the U.S. and the disease spreading aside, I find it very concerning that patiens with the potential to hemmorage would be put on such long flights. The changes in air pressure and being in the air that long could potentially sign their death certificates if they enter the hemoragatic phase of the disease. I think it would be much safer for them and for the U.S. to keep them in quarantine where they are and fly in any kind of special equipment, doctors, treatments, units of blood, etc. to provide more support in the hopes that they might survive this.
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861267 by Sharkboy and Lavagirl
Aug 1, 2014 7:53am
Thread (disabled) Board
Now on that issue, I am pretty sure they must've been put in pressure controlled plastic-covered isolation beds/tents. Keeps the germs inside, and the pressure equal. I hope. :(
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861240 by Grrly Girl
Aug 1, 2014 8:57am
Thread (disabled) Board
That's a good point. But there are alternatives to possibly having them infect an airplane and possibly anyone who comes into contact with them. We're knowingly bringing a highly contagious nearly universally fatal disease into the country. Surely we can think of a way to care for them without doing that. Also, it's an assumption we make all the time that our medical care is superior. It's just not true. So I wonder if there's any advantage to them compared to the risk they're taking for others. I didn't voluntarily go into Ebolo-infested communities or adopt this risk. They did. That makes them heroes to me. But of all people, I bet they would understand best the need to quarantine them there. AFter all, even people with field experience and well-known for being experts in the virus have fallen ill and died, despite their knowledge of self-protection.
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861275 by FloridaFour
Aug 1, 2014 9:03am
Thread (disabled) Board
Ebola isn't an airborne virus; it's transmitted by bodily fluids.
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861283 by Wry Me
Aug 1, 2014 9:49am
Thread (disabled) Board
Exactly. I just retweeted a Donald Trump tweet for the first time ever.
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861225 by Sharkboy and Lavagirl
Aug 1, 2014 10:14am
Thread (disabled) Board
And they're OUR citizens. They're Americans. So do we as an entire country just say, "well, you were trying to do a great thing, but you f***d up so too bad for you. We have much better health facilities and we could maybe cure you and advance medical science, but it's too much of a health risk. We're gonna leave you. We'd rather go save a marine who may/may not have deserted. Thanks for your work. Hope you don't die."

Nope, we're Americans. We do what we can. It's what we've always done and it's what we'll always do. It's why we aren't any other country on the planet. . .

And yes, it's already here. Along with bubonic plague, and every other bad buggy out there. My bio mom used to do the research on some of these things, way back in the day. It was all here then. We - as a nation - were thinking of bio weapons back then.

~tigs (kinda proud of us)
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861284 by Angel and Demon
Aug 1, 2014 10:24am
Thread (disabled) Board
Ebola isn't an airborne virus; it's transmitted by bodily fluids.

And droplet transmission - one cough, sneeze, drool, ....
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861296 by tiggermama
Aug 1, 2014 10:52am
Thread (disabled) Board
WHO says there have been 5 cases of hemorrhaging types disease found here, none of them Ebola. And while lab samples are the stuff of good science fiction, they're not usually up wandering around having contact with humans who are unaware of their exposure. We have other compassionate options than bringing them here. As missionaries, I doubt seriously they would be in favor of risking other people. Not bringing them here is not necessarily the same thing as abandoning them. But time will surely tell whether or not it was a good decision. The one case in Liberia was from someone traveling. We'll see what happens there, too, though of course he wasn't transported in sanitary conditions. I have to disagree with you. It' certainly noble what we're doing, but I think it's irresponsible.
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861284 by Angel and Demon
Aug 1, 2014 11:03am
Thread (disabled) Board
General response to the community. Everyone who's stated they THINK ebola is already here? Is correct.

You remember back during the DC anthrax mess when President Bush went on TV assuring the country that only USAMRID, CDC, and the Russians had this? Ah.....no. I have personally worked in TWO facilities in the SF Bay Area that had not only Anthrax but Ebola, Dengue Fever......you name it, it is in these facilities. They had contracts with the US Government to reproduce these bugs for "humanitarian purposes" i.e. keep viable concentrations so that if we got attacked, we could quickly and efficiently create antigens to help the population.

Now I won't lie, when you keep the bugs and create antigens, you also discover "non-humanitarian ways" to use them. That wasn't the intended purpose, but it IS a byproduct of the research.

I agree with whoever pointed out that the CDC has allowed their security protocols to slip so badly these things appear to be just out and about under perilously little control. I'm far more worried about this than the U.S. attempting to bring home or citizens, hopefully to better aid them medically, but I suspect to "study" them as well.
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861296 by tiggermama
Aug 1, 2014 11:25am
Thread (disabled) Board
Well, I did find this

which makes me feel somewhat better. Not entirely, though.
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861313 by Wry Me
Aug 1, 2014 12:59pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Well, I did find this

When did Texas split up into three different states? And why did San Diego merge with Arizona? There's something fishy about this map....

-- Ryan
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861296 by tiggermama
Aug 1, 2014 1:07pm
Thread (disabled) Board
And they're OUR citizens. They're Americans.

That is, of course, the other piece of this. People cannot legally be denied the right to reenter the country of which they're a national.
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861325 by Green Tortuga
Aug 1, 2014 1:28pm
Thread (disabled) Board
There's something fishy about this map...

Yes, look in the lower right of the map......San Juan is definitely "fishy"!

Looks like an old one.....after all, Cali is going to become 6 states after the November elections!!
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861329 by Angel and Demon
Aug 1, 2014 3:07pm
Thread (disabled) Board
I wonder about that. The cc can legally detain you in one of these containment facilities, which is where at least one of them is headed, right?
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861349 by Wry Me
Aug 1, 2014 3:23pm
Thread (disabled) Board
They can likely be detained, but the right of return is an extremely well established principle of international law. You can't deny a US national the right to reenter the US.
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861352 by Angel and Demon
Aug 1, 2014 5:39pm
Thread (disabled) Board
You can't deny a US national the right to reenter the US.

Just try coming back from Canada without a passport and tell that to the border patrol. I'd like to know how that goes. =)

-- Ryan
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861376 by Green Tortuga
Aug 2, 2014 8:50am
Thread (disabled) Board
Thank you all for sharing your thoughts and opinions! It was interesting to see how all many different people view this controversial topic and more importantly we all played nice while stating our opinions. I love that! I think a few government leaders could learn a few things from us. ;)
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861441 by Sharkboy and Lavagirl
Aug 2, 2014 12:33pm
Thread (disabled) Board
I think a few government leaders could learn a few things from us. ;)

That I should be president, and Wassa should be vice-president? Hahahha!!!! That's an administration that nobody would ever forget! =)

-- Ryan
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861476 by Green Tortuga
Aug 2, 2014 12:56pm
Thread (disabled) Board
That I should be president, and Wassa should be vice-president?

I agree! My diplomacy skills are second to none.
There's "none", and then there's "me".
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861476 by Green Tortuga
Aug 3, 2014 10:21am
Thread (disabled) Board
I'm a little amused that the 2 of the top 3 "funniest" posts on the Wassa Widget right now are from this thread about Ebola coming to the US. Hmm.... =)

-- Ryan
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861479 by wassamatta u
Aug 3, 2014 3:41pm
Thread (disabled) Board
There's "none", and then there's "me".

Sounds exactly like what we have already.
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861218 by Sharkboy and Lavagirl
Aug 4, 2014 8:45am
Thread (disabled) Board
Re: Ebola Coming To The U.S. By Choice
Board: Off Topic, Wildly
Reply to: #861299 by 55 Steps
Aug 31, 2014 3:59pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Don't forget licking. So refrain from allowing random licking from strangers. (Hope you don't mind a bit of levity. ). It's scary so my first defense is laughter.