How do we, as individuals, weather the coming Ebola storm?

10/17/14 | self

[ArtDodger]

Treating patient ZERO required over 70 nurses, doctors and and assistants, rooms, machines such as one for kidney dialysis, which are now contaminated, at a cost to taxpayers of over $500,000. If the virus sweeps across the USA, it is obvious we can't spend those kinds of funds and resources on each patient. I envision martial law, directives to 'shelter in place' and no help at all from anyone. Aside from the normal worries, food, fuel for winter heat, protection from the sure-to-come hungry mobs, how do we survive this killer disease that sports a 70% mortality rate?

[BuffaloJack]

Ebola MSDS sheet
http://www.msdshazcom.com/MSDS/P/phac/Ebola%20virus.html

[Arthur McGowan]

Obama is not a bumbler.

Obama wants as many Americans to die of any cause as possible. Ebola is just the latest means of killing Americans.

[Travis McGee]

One thing for sure: every sensible American should have at least a month or two of survival food in their home, minimum. Under many scenarios, people might be forced into quarantine. Do you want to wait for govt. food deliveries? What if the only alternative is a govt bus to a FEMA quarantine center? I’d rather stay home eating survival food than get on that bus. And going to the local supermarket might be very dangerous, assuming it hasn’t been looted to the empty shelves. The predators will circle the supermarkets like lions around a water hole.

[sport]

You are absolutely correct. Obama knows exactly what he is doing and why he is doing. It is only the “Obama is stupid”, Obama is in over his crowd”, “Obama is incompetent” crowd that refuse to face reality. Obama’s sole mission and goal in life from the moment he assumed power was the complete and total destruction of the United States of America as it was once known. One only has to look around with open eyes to see how successful he has been. And the “best” [worse]is yet to come. The Nation is only experiencing the results of the ‘08 election. The bill for the ;12 election has yet to be presented. The elections of 2008 and 2012 are probably the only two elections in concession were the majority of voters got exactly what they voted for.

[Boundless]

If your locale offers early voting, do it as soon as possible. Bring your own pen and pencil.

You do not want to be queued up in a line of sneezing, coughing people in early November.

[Mr170IQ]

There is a commonly available antiviral, Lamivudine, which is normally used for treating Hepatitis or HIV which has been reasonably successful at treating this outbreak of Ebola. see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamivudine

It would be most effective beginning treatment as early as possible - at the first sign of symptoms or even the first possibility of exposure, rather than waiting for a positive blood test for Ebola.

Not sure how easy it is to get it without a prescription. It seems like it is available from Mexican online pharms for about $6.50 per gram.

[RC one]

I was aware of the piglet/monkey transmission study which provides the basis of the airborne transmission theory. I was not aware of the isolation ward/fomite study. My initial feeling after reading about the fomite study is that it also supports the airborne transmission theory. the nurses in Texas were in the isolation room while the toxic patient was, apparently, experiencing profuse diarrhea and vomiting which are both mechanisms of aerosolization. The nurses were not 100% barrier protected from the atmosphere but they were surely well protected from the physical environment which, according to the fomite study, posed little risk at all let alone to two trained RNs wearing gloves, gown, boots. etc. How did the virus then reach them? It was aerosolized and, therefore, able to move from point A to point B through the air.

[pabianice]

You need to read more science fiction. This has been covered extensively and precisely in many stories and novels. Science fiction is simply tomorrow’s news reports.

[palmer]

The nurses were not 100% barrier protected from the atmosphere

I agree, and a potentially fatal flaw. There is little doubt that vapor / small droplets would get into those hoods. I think sealed goggles would have helped, but only pressurized sealed suits would fully protect the eyes. Taking it off is a tricky but a disinfecting spray room would be advisable for that.

[RC one]

the center for infectious disease research recommends a positive air pressure (PAPR) mask and hood over the N95 mask. The N95 mask may or may not be effective. It seems that the longer you wear it, the more likely it is that you will break the face seal or otherwise inhale a virion or virions which, even in exceedingly small numbers (like one) will cause the disease. The N95 does not protect the eyes which are potential portal as well and the PAPR does. A nurse can wear the PAPR comfortably far longer than an N95 too and discomfort leads to fatigue which leads to mistakes.