Six Reasons to Panic

The Weekly Standard ^ | 10/18/14 | Jonathan Last

[IChing]

As a rule, one should not panic at whatever crisis has momentarily fixed the attention of cable news producers. But the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which has migrated to both Europe and America, may be the exception that proves the rule. There are at least six reasons that a controlled, informed panic might be in order.

(1) Start with what we know, and don’t know, about the virus. Officials from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other government agencies claim that contracting Ebola is relatively difficult because the virus is only transmittable by direct contact with bodily fluids from an infected person who has become symptomatic. Which means that, in theory, you can’t get Ebola by riding in the elevator with someone who is carrying the virus, because Ebola is not airborne.

This sounds reassuring. Except that it might not be true. There are four strains of the Ebola virus that have caused outbreaks in human populations. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, the current outbreak (known as Guinean EBOV, because it originated in Meliandou, Guinea, in late November 2013) is a separate clade “in a sister relationship with other known EBOV strains.” Meaning that this Ebola is related to, but genetically distinct from, previous known strains, and thus may have distinct mechanisms of transmission.

Not everyone is convinced that this Ebola isn’t airborne. Last month, the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy published an article arguing that the current Ebola has “unclear modes of transmission” and that “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.”

[B4Ranch]

I read the article and what I got from it was the writer is following Obama’s guidelines and refusing to stray from them. I do not trust government and I refuse to follow the crowd so I am not going to panic as suggested.

[IChing]

Wish the situation didn’t compel me to, but it is my duty and pleasure to help spread critical information. Truly scary stuff.

[IChing]

You didn’t comprehend what he said. Try again. Be thorough.

[B4Ranch]

(6) While we’re on the subject of political crisis, it’s worth noting that the politics of Ebola are uncertain and dangerous to everyone involved. Thus far, there’s been only one serious political clash over Ebola, and that’s concerning the banning of flights to and from the infected countries in West Africa. The Obama administration refuses to countenance such a move, with the CDC’s Frieden flatly calling it “wrong”:

A travel ban is not the right answer. It’s simply not feasible to build a wall—virtual or real—around a community, city, or country. A travel ban would essentially quarantine the more than 22 million people that make up the combined populations of Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea.

[sergeantdave]

Let’s stop feeding the 50 IQ survivalist morons here on FR who don’t know squat about survivalism.

The first order of business is to determine whether we can find 6 conservatives to show up at a city council meeting and protest high property taxes.

[trebb]

If anybody thinks that such is beyond Valerie Jarrett, I have news for them.

No arguments here - the new "Ebola Czar" is a prime example of how they do things; no czar seems to be position-qualified - they are all un-elected leftists who get power over the People.

[IChing]

As I said, you didn’t comprehend what he said. Try again. BE THOROUGH.

That means, read the entire article, closely.

I thought the same thing you did at first.

[IChing]

Perhaps you’re reading it on a tablet or phone? I was, when I first read it, and the indentations at key places weren’t showing up, so I was really mystified that it seemed he was spouting the Obama/CDC talking points himself. It took me a couple minutes to move down the page and resolve it.

[Focault's Pendulum]

I drive part time for a car service. Mostly Newark and Kennedy airport runs.I’m putting in for home pickups only. They had better be from Eastern Europe if I’m picking up at the airport.

[IChing]

I read something about a strike by workers at LaGuardia; the writer referenced strikers as “LaGuardian Angels” lol

[B4Ranch]

I have plenty of soaps, Clorox bleach, Isopropyl alcohol and hydrogen peroxide to sanitize my shoes and hands with. I have three showers and a bathtub in my home with more than adequate laundry facilities to keep myself and my clothes clean. I am careful what foods I eat (NO BUSHMEAT OR BATS) and where it originates.

I don’t fly on commercial aircraft or takes buses with people who live in public housing projects. Hanging out at a theater or amongst crowds is not my style of life. In other words the chances of Ebola infecting me or my family are so low the issue is literally of no concern to me.

Should it ever become an issue, I will gather my family together and fly them to somewhere that is not riddled with infectious diseases. Perhaps it may be an island off Seattle or Vancouver BC but I am certain there will be places that are safer than Liberia.

[petercooper]

bttt