Written By Michelle Bean
Staff Writer
If you’ve been awake at all during the past few months, you’ve probably heard something about the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Recently the US has experienced its first ever Ebola cases leaving people frightened and confused.
In the wake of this panic, various news sources have been presenting conflicting, confusing and often frightening information about the disease so that the public in general has very little actual knowledge regarding what’s happening and what we can do about it.
“I don’t really know what’s going on with the current epidemic,” said Amber Clarksen, a junior business major. “I don’t have time to watch the news.”
With this disease in particular ignorance could be deadly.
I spoke with several students, staff and faculty on campus and consulted various websites and news sources to try and identify the degree of public understanding about Ebola. The lack of understanding from students shocked me much more than the information I learned about the disease itself.
Don’t Panic, Prepare
News outlets try to convince people that Ebola could be the end of days. The Business Insider, Daily Mail, and The New American all published articles within the past week comparing Ebola to the Black Plague, which ravaged mid-evil Europe and wiped out much of the European population. Further fear mongering has come from FOX News and ABC News, who have irresponsibly published false or misguiding information based on the following assumptions:
- Ebola has an unbelievably high mortality rate and, so far, has no cure. You’ve probably heard that Ebola has a 90 percent death rate. This extremely deadly claim would mean that out of 100 people infected with Ebola, only ten survive. Mainstream media reporting this half-true statistic is irresponsible because it perpetuates the false belief that anyone who contracts Ebola will necessarily die of the disease.
In fact the World Health Organization (WHO) tells a different story. According to www.who.int “The average EVD [Ebola hemorrhagic fever] case fatality rate is around 50 percent. Case fatality rates have varied from 25 percent to 90 percent in past outbreaks.”
Still a mind-bogglingly high death rate, Ebola kills more consistently than the annual flu when contracted, but Ebola is not nearly as easy to catch and recovery is, in fact, possible. This comforting fact often goes unmentioned.
Furthermore, officials continue to search for a cure. In addition to testing two potential Ebola vaccines, several “blood, immunological” and “drug therapies” are being developed, according WHO researchers.
Though no vaccine or proven antivirals exist yet, the human immune system can fight Ebola and the WHO reports that, “Early supportive care with rehydration, symptomatic treatment improves survival.”
Ebola can be a painful, miserable and destructive disease, but with proper treatment, it does not have to be a death sentence, especially with the medical resources available in the US.
- Ebola is highly contagious, and the United States has no protocols for preventing its spread. Yes, Ebola passes easily from person, but only through direct contact with infected persons. Because the disease is not airborne, healthcare workers are far more likely to contract Ebola than any other group, so unless you work directly with illness, you have little reason to be worried.
In West Africa where the disease originated illness spreads rapidly due to poor sanitation, limited access to running water and insufficient protective gear. The rate at which Ebola spreads in Africa should not create fear in Americans, because our access to sanitation and protection makes disease much easier to contain.
In the United States, for example, hospitals come equipped with personal protective equipment as thorough as hazardous materials (hazmat) suits and as basic as soap and water.
The CDC recommends hospitals keep suspected Ebola patients isolated. Hospitals keep log of any individual who exists or enters the room of a possible Ebola case. All individuals who come in contact with such a patient must be monitored for possible symptoms. The CDC website offers detailed information on containment protocols.
- Air travel has not been restricted. On October 13th a nurse infected with Ebola boarded a flight, possibly exposing her fellow passengers. The nurse was monitoring herself and at the time she was not exhibiting symptoms which distinguish Ebola from the common cold or an annual flu.
The possible exposure caused by this nurse has prompted a vehement backlash of angry, frightened individuals calling for the US to stop all flights. This is totally unnecessary as no direct flights between Ebola stricken West Africa and the US exist, meaning if someone with Ebola flies to America, they must go through several countries and are therefore more likely to be stopped by customs.
Yes, someone came into the US with Ebola already. However, the scope of the infection’s spread will no doubt prompt more thorough screening of passengers, preventing further spread. Cancelling all flights to prevent the minimal risk of further infection would cripple the US economy unnecessarily.
Meanwhile the case that started this outcry turns out less scandalous upon further inspection than reports indicate. Ebola becomes increasingly contagious as symptoms worsen. Because the nurse’s fever was not yet high enough to diagnose her with Ebola, it is highly unlikely she spread the disease to those around her. However, this part of the narrative is conveniently left out of reports on the issue.
The passengers and crew of the flights are being contacted and the CDC claims, “As of Oct. 17, all of the travelers on flight 1143 arriving in Dallas on Oct. 13 and most of the travelers on flight 1142 in Cleveland on Oct. 10 have been contacted.” No one on the flight has reported symptoms.
- Fear sells news. Profit can be made from a frightened public. This bottom line makes sensationalizing news stories quite profitable. How can we be sure we’re getting accurate information then? Do the research yourself. Read official sources such as the CDC and the WHO in addition to private news sources.
Accurate information is vital to prevent the spread of Ebola
“All I really know is that you can get it from a person’s blood or saliva,” said Demariz Garcia, a freshman nursing student. Many people I spoke to lacked basic understanding of how Ebola is spread. Relating it to the spread of AIDS, too many people believe that Ebola cannot be contracted through contact with saliva.
The Center for Disease control on the other hand reports that bodily fluids, including blood, urine, saliva, sweat, feces, vomit, breast milk, and semen can all pass the virus through direct contact. This means that fluids must pass into the body through broken skin or thin membranes in the eyes and mouth in order to infect someone.
So, yes, Ebola can spread through saliva, but since it is not an airborne disease, simple measures – such as frequent hand washing and keeping cuts or scratches covered – are instrumental in containing the disease.
Ebola can also only be spread from person to person if the infected individual is exhibiting symptoms such as fever and the longer a patient has the virus, the more contagious they become. This means that early detection and separation from the public does much to prevent the spread of Ebola.
Due to the ways Ebola is contracted, if you make yourself aware of the signs and symptoms surrounding the disease, then you will at least be able to identify possible risks, keeping yourself safer than someone with no information.
Keep Calm and Stay Informed.
Even in areas where Ebola has appeared, officials urge the public to stay calm.
“The absolute worst thing people can do is panic,” Dr. Laura Markley said to the Akron Beacon Journal. One case has been discovered in Ohio, and yet the answer is not widespread alarm, but rather careful consideration, public information and personal precautions.
“What people need to realize is that there are millions of people killed throughout history by the flu, by influenza. Influenza is a much greater risk to us than Ebola is, but we don’t freak out about the flu because we know how to prevent it,” Markley told the Journal.
The more we know about Ebola, the safer we feel, so read up, wash up and shut up about Ebola.
