My brother-in-law recently died from a short battle with cancer at home. While he was dying he was kissed and hugged repeatedly by his wife, kids and grandkids. They knew he was dying and they were saying goodbye.
People aren't robots. When someone is dying at home of Ebola they're not going to gown up. They're not going to refrain from kissing and hugging them out of love and compassion. That's exactly what's happening there. That's part of the "culture" that we have over here.
People aren't robots. When someone is dying at home of Ebola they're not going to gown up. They're not going to refrain from kissing and hugging them out of love and compassion. That's exactly what's happening there. That's part of the "culture" that we have over here.
First of all, cancer is not contagious--I have never heard that even cancers caused by viruses are contagious. Thus, there is a world of difference between hugging and kissing a dying cancer patient and someone dying of Ebola. I can't imagine too many people would want to physically comfort someone who is covered with vomit and feces--they'd be rushing that person to the hospital. And then that person would be isolated.
Not only do we take infection control seriously, we do not have the other customs that Africans have. We do not bathe the bodies of loved ones with our bare hands. We do not give corpses enemas with our bare hands. We do not stroke corpses during the funerals. Many people in Africa have acquired Ebola during funerals through these practices.