Posted on 10/12/2014 9:00:53 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Scary, unprecedented; Dallas is Ground Zero for Ebola.
We are Ground Zero now for a shattering series of firsts: The first patient diagnosed with Ebola in the United States. The first to die of the terrifying disease.
And now, with news that a nurse who helped care for Thomas Eric Duncan is positive for the virus in preliminary tests, Dallas is the site of the nations first documented case of Ebola transmission.
Its scary. Its unprecedented.
Its also the occasion for a critical test of the relationship between citizens -- us -- and our political and medical authorities. Either we believe in truth and transparency, or we dont.
This is a tough job for said authorities. There are highly specific protocols for dealing with diagnosed Ebola patients, but dealing with an Ebola-spooked public remains a work in progress.
Our job is to trust them, and theirs is to avoid giving us reasons not to....
(Excerpt) Read more at dallasnews.com ...
How about they first protect the caretakers before they keep practicing unproven theories.
“The precautionary principlethat any action designed to reduce risk should not await scientific certaintycompels the use of respiratory protection for a pathogen like Ebola virus that has:
No proven pre- or post-exposure treatment modalities
A high case-fatality rate
Unclear modes of transmission
We believe there is scientific and epidemiologic evidence that Ebola virus has the potential to be transmitted via infectious aerosol particles both near and at a distance from infected patients, which means that healthcare workers should be wearing respirators, not facemasks.1
The minimum level of protection in high-risk settings should be a respirator with an assigned protection factor greater than 10. A powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) with a hood or helmet offers many advantages over an N95 filtering facepiece or similar respirator, being more protective, comfortable, and cost-effective in the long run...
The potential for transmission via inhalation of aerosols, therefore, cannot be ruled out by the observed risk factors or our knowledge of the infection process. Many body fluids, such as vomit, diarrhea, blood, and saliva, are capable of creating inhalable aerosol particles in the immediate vicinity of an infected person. Cough was identified among some cases in a 1995 outbreak in Kikwit, Democratic Republic of the Congo,11 and coughs are known to emit viruses in respirable particles.17 The act of vomiting produces an aerosol and has been implicated in airborne transmission of gastrointestinal viruses.18,19 Regarding diarrhea, even when contained by toilets, toilet flushing emits a pathogen-laden aerosol that disperses in the air.2”
Most likely they do not. Texas is a right to work state and very very few nurses join a union. If they are approaching this like my hospital is, the nurses and doctors are volunteering. We already have an MD who has volunteered should my hospital receive an Ebola patient. We have also determined that 4 nurse volunteers would be needed as well. We have not yet asked for nurse volunteers. Other adjunct personnel will not be allowed in the room unless medically necessary. The MD and RNs will provide all care including blood draws, etc. But the other poster is correct. If it is not volunteer, the nurse(s) who refused would most likely be fired.
The military statement was not about the medical Staff of ww2, but that’s ok.
I realize that there are some, but I don’t know how many, as far as the medical profession.
Thank-you, Annie. I am trying to do my part to help save our nation any way I can thr FR.
We really do need to take a deep breath and really focus on all the repercussions of this contagion.
As for your last remark, only female characters in movies, chose to sacrifice others for their families.
Please read my next comment on this thread. Very useful information that should be continued to be explored.
Now will those volunteers be housed in a contained area until a patient is cured or dies? This may be another precaution that is needed.
Thanks, yorkiemom.
CDC: “To date [letter is dated October 7], the family members have shown no sign of Ebola.”
That’s in response #46 here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3212638/posts
Also here
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/11/us/ebola-dallas-clay-jenkins.html?_r=0
I have to say that this is truly a “no news is good news” situation. If any of the immediate family were symptomatic, you can bet your bottom dollar we’d have heard about it.
We’d hear about it? Like the deputy sherriff who went in/was sent in to get them out without so much as a paper isolation gown?
I wouldn’t bet a nickel we’d hear about it.
THis family is not American. They’re busy talking about suing the Hospital to whom they owe $500,000.
My bet is that they are being handled. They were whisked away
Who knows what is going on with them.
Oh but would the Duncan family have been ok with a robot treating Eric? No of course not. They had to infect an over privledged American. Someone needs to make that family STFU and go away. Jessie J picked the wrong dog in this fight.
America’s ERs are too busy dealing with migraine head aches, drug seaking bullshiiters, Romeos and Juliets with STDs, and people with vague viral upper respiratory infection symptoms to notice anything special about vague viral upper respiratory infection symptoms.
Hairlip Jackson needs a good dose of what's down there, maybe he will pet that doggie.
Just curious, wonder how many of his medical staff were black?
Thrust your life with obammy’s gub mint?
Former bidness owner, Christian, NRA member, white, conservative.
I am the guy obammy’s folk say is the danger to the world and i should trust them with my safety?
Horse shit.
Exactly like that — we’d hear about it the same day.
Good intentions are no substitute for positive results. As usual, the liberal espouses well intended failure is okay because it doesn’t really matter-there are no consequences. Failure is always an option when you live in a bubble.
That press conference yesterday was less than inspiring. They all looked panic stricken. Run Forest, run!! :-)
Our game plan is still evolving however, we decided today that the caregivers will be housed at our hospital and will not return home to reduce the exposure to their families. As I said, the plan is still being fleshed out. One thing we are taking a hard look at is what PPE will be used and how we will use it. There is great concern that there is a very high risk of contamination during removal of the PPE after care has been given. Early on in this process we identified and set aside the locations in the ER and in-patient unit where potential ebola victims would be housed. However, as others have indicated the capabilities of our local hospitals would be easily overwhelmed by more than a few patients. From what I am being told, the desire is for all ebola and potential ebola victims to be cared for at the hospital where Duncan died. Reduce the exposure and the contaminated areas so that the ER and hospital capacity of the DFW area is not completely overwhelmed. It is still a fluid situation.
Glad to hear the caregivers will be housed there, but this can't go on. Sounds like the 1st team of caregivers would have to be quarantined for the proper time, while the 2nd team goes in and then repeat with team 3,4,5 etc.
Now I hear that they will give her a transfusion from Dr. Bradley, so happy they are a match. But when/if this gets out of hand, he does not have enough to go around.
Thinking, is it possible to take some of his blood and infuse it with good blood of the same type, in other words it would be diluted, but the infected part of his blood could possibly reproduce itself in the good blood. Does that make sense in the way I am saying it?
Thanks again for your knowledge of this matter.
You are welcome. I don’t know if they could make a serum from his blood but you are right. I have not read where anyone has said how much of his blood they are infusing. There is only so much he can give within 6 weeks to 2 months. His body has to recover. Hopefully the antibodies he has will help to fight the infection in this nurse.
We will minimize the number of caregivers. We anticipate 1 MD and 4 nurses max. All tests and procedures would be done bedside by the 1 MD and whichever nurse is on duty at that time. We have an entire wing that has not yet been built out. I am sure we can come up with a plan that minimizes the exposure and risk. We have 2 meetings a day on this issue. Hope this helps infuse some sense of proactiveness and order. There has been way too much confusion and misinformation. Someone just today called the CDC the Center for Disinformation and Confusion.
Maybe some Scientist can shed some light on donated good blood of his type being infused with a little of his infected blood which can then be used for another transfusion. On paper it sounds feasible, but I am not a scientist, and ideas should certainly be welcomed.
And when I say infected, I do not mean that in a demeaning way to the good Dr.
During a time when my son was to have a brain tumor surgery and possibly need a blood transfusion, I called the Univ. to ask if he could donate his own blood to have on hand due to the HIV scare, at that time they told me it was impossible. Well that idea finally came into being and done all the time now. So perhaps the other can to.
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