Ebola is now talked about across the globe. The fever and severe internal bleeding that are due to the disease are not only fatal, but there is also no complete or known cure at this time. Also, the disease is highly contagious as Ebola has not become contained, so this continues to alarm people around the world. Yet at a more personal level, the urgency of learning what to do about the control of Ebola and how to not become infected are all key to staying safe. Ebola is a rare virus causing bleeding inside and out as it spreads damage to the immune system and organs.
It causes blood-clotting cells to diminish in number causing the uncontrollable bleeding. The scary statistic that “Ebola virus, kills up to 90% of people who are infected” is alarming (Healthwise Staff, 2014). And this of course makes anyone fear the disease. But the outbreak is mainly in Africa and so far the US has only seen the worry without dealing with the outbreak. Even the experts agree that “there is no significant risk of Ebola in the United States” when there are safety measures already put in place to prevent it in other countries (Murray, 2014).
There is good news when it is not like a cold spreading air born and so taking personal precautions from direct contact or indirect contact is key. First aid books explain how pathogens spread with direct contact from one person and into a correct entry site, while indirect is contact from infected objects where it enters the body’s entry site. “These objects include soiled dressings, equipment and work surfaces” as explained in first aid so you can use “personal protective equipment” like gloves and breathing barriers to protect yourself (American National
Red Cross, 2012). Knowing this path of transmission brings the risks down by also “reducing the risk of wildlife-to-human transmission” and also extra caution visiting the sick by “reducing the risk of human-to-human transmission” and finally “prompt and safe burial of the dead” as all who may 3 CONTROL EBOLA have come in contact will be monitored for 21 days (World Health Media Centre, 2014).
The key is to understand how the fear is direct contact and indirect contact, while knowing the idea of cooking foods thoroughly and washing hands are effective against a large outbreak like Ebola. Also, the personal control of not touching your own eyes, nose, mouth, or lips “is key to successfully controlling the outbreaks” on a more personal level (Healthwise Staff, 2014).
To feel the need for isolating yourself is overboard unless a person is actually infected, so this fear is not needing to isolate yourself in the US when people are putting barriers outside the US and also people inside the country are taking proper precautions.
Fear in only the small amount needed for personal action is just enough to apply common knowledge of barriers between transmission routes and to also use personal hygiene as a solution on what to do about the control of Ebola and how not to become infected here in the US. Such a small amount of personal fear can bring precautions and habits long after such outbreaks are over and the fear of Ebola has disappeared.
4 CONTROL EBOLA REFERENCES American National Red Cross. (2012). Responding to Emergencies Comprehensive First Aid/CPR/AED. United States of America: Krames Stay Well Strategic Partnerships Division. Healthwise Staff. (2014). Viral Infections: Ebola Virus Infection. Retrieved from WebMD: http://www. webmd. com/a-to-z-guides/ebola-fever-virus-infection Murray, K. (2014). Ebola Join the Fight. Retrieved from Direct Relief: West Africa Ebola Outbreak gclid=CKOiseCBh8ECFSkA7AodMyUACA World Health Media Centre. (2014, September). Fact sheet #103. Retrieved from World Health Organization: http://www. who. int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/.