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America, Ebola, and Fear: Overblown Panic in America
National Review ^ | 08/02/2014 | Dr. MARC SIEGEL

Posted on 08/02/2014 7:18:35 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

America, the land of the free, the home of the brave, is in a social-media panic because Dr. Kent Brantly, the 33-year-old Indiana physician who contracted Ebola while battling it in Liberia, is coming home as he struggles to hang onto life. This fear-laden response to a true American hero is out of touch with the fundamental principles of this country.

The Internet is afire with protest, and the misleading headlines stating that Ebola is being brought to the U.S. spread more fear but no understanding or empathy.

Brantly himself makes me proud to be both an American and a physician, and reminds me of the fearless battle against HIV/AIDS in the 1980s, when we took personal risks to care for the sick and the dying. A family friend describes him as caring more for others than for himself. This kind of altruism and courage is becoming rare these days, among physicians and society in general, but it is just as important now as it was in the 1980s, if not more so.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: drkentbrantly; ebola; panic
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To: austinaero

Reading descriptions of the Ebola wards in Africa gives an inkling of why transmission occurred despite Tyvek suits (which are protective, but do not seem to be hazmat level). Literally the floors and everything else are awash in bodily fluids. Unless the suited clinicians undergo a decontamination shower before taking off the suits, it is probably that the exteriors of the suits are contaminated. The aerosols in the air outside the wards are likely high. In a humid environment, it is difficult to see how simple barrier protection is efficient.

No matter what people think, US hospital isolation wards do not reach these levels of contamination. There is access to hazmat suits with air filtration. There are pressurized atmospheric controls in the isolation areas. Nurses are absolutely militant about keeping people in/out, as required. Suit decontamination is available.

Will Brantley be on a medevac plane, with medical personnel? Likely. They aren’t going to sit him up in tourist class and then turn the plane around for another leg. The plane will be small and will be decontaminated, likely the clinicians will, also.

I know doctors who volunteer for foreign missions. They aren’t careless dummies. They aren’t all liberals, either.

I fail to see how anyone not directly involved in the medical care/transport of this MD is exposed. Even if you live in Atlanta, unless you are in the isolation unit at Emory or are working there or married to a worker, how are you in danger?

You can choose your level of exposure. Don’t fly. Avoid the specific hospitals or even the specific communities that have the isolation units. Avoid critical personnel. If you are a terrified clinician or other critical care worker, take a vacation week or two. I do not feel I am being unreasonably exposed to Ebola because an American MD is being evacuated home for care. If you do feel that you are, self-imposed quarantine might make you feel more comfortable.

It occurred to me that people from the hot zones were traveling before the news reports of outbreaks, which have been ongoing for months, now. If this was a severe risk, wouldn’t we have seen at least isolated cases by now? Yes, there could be a news blackout, but since fear sells, I doubt it.


61 posted on 08/02/2014 9:20:48 AM PDT by reformedliberal
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To: ROCKLOBSTER

Not exactly...
Ebola Reston. Infections but no illness....

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ebola_outbreaks


62 posted on 08/02/2014 9:26:30 AM PDT by Kozak ("It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal" Henry Kissinger)
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To: DManA
As I understand it these doctors were following all the safety protocols and STILL caught it.

According to author Richard Preston, even medical workers wearing hazmat suits have contracted it.

In the Ebola Ward

63 posted on 08/02/2014 9:29:47 AM PDT by Drew68
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To: Axeslinger

>and they’re bringing it here why?!? <

.
It is the “change” element in “hope and change”.


64 posted on 08/02/2014 9:31:03 AM PDT by 353FMG
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To: DownInFlames
It will eventually come down to shut down borders and even air transport.

No problem...we're all over that!!!(sarc)

65 posted on 08/02/2014 9:31:48 AM PDT by ontap
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To: SeekAndFind

AIDS docs weren’t buggering the patients. Ebola is completely different and spreads by casual contact. Obama is importing this disease. It will not stay contained and people will die.


66 posted on 08/02/2014 9:33:27 AM PDT by Organic Panic
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To: Drew68; All

There’s nothing wrong with having compassion for the doctor who contracted the illness, however, bringing such a deadly disease into this country is insanity.
To the doctor who tried to shame everyone & lecture - would you want to needlessly expose your family to this? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. And if we’re going to “do no harm” then why bring it here?


67 posted on 08/02/2014 9:34:20 AM PDT by PenguinM
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To: SeekAndFind

American public stupid, government importing disease and tens of millions smart....


68 posted on 08/02/2014 9:35:00 AM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: Hawthorn

Polio did plenty of damage before that hapoened. Even of we gain control if Ebola eventually there is lot if oain betwen here and there


69 posted on 08/02/2014 9:39:29 AM PDT by Mom MD
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To: SeekAndFind
I am sure Obama was involved in the decision to bring these patients back to US soil. The decision is so reckless and irresponsible. It smells of his ideals to bring America down to suffer with this African virus.

These health care providers made their own decision to go and treat patients with a virus that kills 90% of its victims. A virus that requires only 1 - 10 virons to infect a patient . A virus that can stay in human body fluid for more than 7 weeks if the patient survives. This country has no moral obligation to bring them back and endanger our population. In fact I find it unethical even if the risks are low. Especially after seeing picture of their so called isolation chamber made out of painters plastic and held up with cloth ties gives little trust with the CDC.

Ebola virus can be weaponized by freeze drying the virus and has an indefinite life span in that condition. So they are bringing weapons of mass destruction from Africa to America.

70 posted on 08/02/2014 9:39:30 AM PDT by pterional
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To: The Great RJ

They are brave and God bless them. But part of that bravery include if you contract the disease you do not bring it back with you, you stay there and take the consequences you knowingly signed up for. That is true bravery and selflessness.


71 posted on 08/02/2014 9:42:30 AM PDT by Mom MD
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To: The Great RJ

They are brave and God bless them. But part of that bravery include if you contract the disease you do not bring it back with you, you stay there and take the consequences you knowingly signed up for. That is true bravery and selflessness.


72 posted on 08/02/2014 9:43:10 AM PDT by Mom MD
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To: The Great RJ

They are brave and God bless them. But part of that bravery include if you contract the disease you do not bring it back with you, you stay there and take the consequences you knowingly signed up for. That is true bravery and selflessness.


73 posted on 08/02/2014 9:43:41 AM PDT by Mom MD
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To: Michael.SF.

He reminds me of all the self-righteous `coatholders’ who call the rest of us “racist, xenophobic bigots,” but they’re still NIMBYers/”Gee, I’d love to mop the fevered brow of someone defecating their innards, but um, I have a Red Box movie to return ...” when it comes to taking illegals in to their own homes or walking any walk at all themselves besides the `superiority strut’.
Liberal big talkers, like Obama, BS artists.


74 posted on 08/02/2014 9:44:34 AM PDT by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: all armed conservatives.)
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To: Mom MD

Sorry for the multiple post. Should know better than to post from phone....


75 posted on 08/02/2014 9:44:42 AM PDT by Mom MD
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To: 2ndreconmarine; Fitzcarraldo; Covenantor; Mother Abigail; EBH; Dog Gone; ...

Ping...


76 posted on 08/02/2014 9:46:17 AM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
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To: CorporateStepsister
They get fed grant money for AIDS not Ebola or any other disease that we the silent majority may suffer.
77 posted on 08/02/2014 9:51:20 AM PDT by Chgogal (Obama "hung the SEALs out to dry, basically exposed them like a set of dog balls..." CMH)
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To: SeekAndFind

Marc Siegel is an American author and doctor. He is an associate professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, a Fox News medical correspondent, as well as a columnist for several newspapers (such as the New York Post and Forbes Online.[1]

He has written several books, such as False Alarm; the Truth About the Epidemic of Fear, Bird Flu: Everything You Need to Know About the Next Pandemic,[2] and The Inner Pulse: Unlocking the Secret Code of Sickness and Health.[3]

Source: Wikipedia


78 posted on 08/02/2014 9:52:48 AM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: MeshugeMikey
ebola aint aids

Thank God.

Ebola predates Aids (1976 vs 1981), but Aids has killed 36 million people, and 1.6 million in 2012.

79 posted on 08/02/2014 10:00:17 AM PDT by ansel12 (LEGAL immigrants, 30 million 1980-2012, continues to remake the nation's electorate for democrats)
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To: MarMema
And the CDC is sending 50 more Americans there.

They'll do what they're doing with millions of criminal aliens, they'll seed the country to all points with these people when they return. Of course they've been ramping up and doing this for decades now.

In fact top officials in our government have already put in writing they consider many in America to be terrorist, assh*les....Worst than foreign terrorist.

They're motives could not be any clearer.

Hello???? Anyone home America?

80 posted on 08/02/2014 10:02:40 AM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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