Achooo!
If you think about it, it’s really not contagious in the sense that you could get it just standing next to someone. This is a blood and body fluids contagious disease. The epidemic sprawl in Africa is due to substandard medical facilities and a lack of environmental cleanliness. I’ve read stories where ebola victims are literally left to die in the sun where they expire and their bodies blow up like balloons and burst. The blood and guts are consumed by carrion fowl and bugs, rats, etc. which then spread it among the communities.
I’m not saying it’s impossible that it could spread here, but it’s nothing something you’re just going to catch my standing next to an infected person on a subway or plane. You have to ingest some of their bodily fluids to get sick.
Also remember that while the mortality rate IS high, it is survivable. And while there’s no known cure, people who survive are immune to reinfection, meaning a vaccine could likely be developed, as I understand it.
With even odds at best. I don't like 50/50 chances... especially when many survivors have ongoing chronic disabilities.
The nurse from the USA now in Emory was truly not nursing but assisting on scrub down and waste removal of those that were providing healthcare to the ebola patients.
She was not directly exposed yet.....
You do not have to ingest body fluids to get ill. I get so tired of the misinformation. All you need is infected body fluid to come in contact with a mucous membrane or microscopic cut on your skin. think sneeze, etc... And ebola victims shed body fluids everywhere. Or you put your hand on a bus seat where someone with ebola sneezed then put your hand to your face
While not airborn (at least not proven yet) this is a highly contagious disease that has been spread to people wearing full protective gear. I would not want to be on a plane or subway next to someone with active ebola.
Would you take a chance standing next to an Ebola patient without any kind of protective barrier? I didn’t think so. The Dr and the woman were wearing protective materials in Africa and still contracted the disease. They never said how this is possible if this is a blood and body fluid only disease. How did they catch Ebola?
Achooo!