How to Make Ebola Worse

[Generic Other]

Editor’s note: Dr. William Foege is the physician-epidemiologist credited with devising the strategy that rid the world of smallpox, former head of the CDC (when AIDS first emerged) and, full disclosure, is also a good friend to Humanosphere. We asked him to offer perspective on all the finger-pointing attending the Ebola hysteria.


An important point:

The need to find, follow and refer for isolation large numbers of contacts overwhelmed an anemic public health response. Indeed, the need to find and follow all contacts of patients was not on the WHO “critical steps” list as late as October 2014. The result has been a disaster for West Africa. Half way measures are not sufficient and the public health community is now adapting and attempting to organize a large scale response.

I think this point is worth highlighting as well:

In fact, the public health response in this country has been far better than we could have expected, given the cutbacks in the public health infrastructure of recent years made worse by the private care system sometimes making decisions based on cost or insurance status rather than health needs.

Past experience indicates that people are clever enough to travel to other countries first if they really want to come to this country. And they will hide their exposure to Ebola patients if it means being placed in quarantine. That simply increases our risk. There is no evidence that such quarantine would be better than finding contacts and taking their temperatures twice a day to detect the first evidence of illness.

http://www.humanosphere.org/global-health/2014/10/op-ed-bill-foege-make-ebola-worse/

Why isn't this man Surgeon General? He seems pretty straightforward. We can't apparently bully this disease into submission if it means those who are potentially infected fear revealing their exposure because they don't want to be quarantined. It seems as if it should be simple to eradicate with its short lifespan. And yet, so many other considerations complicate matters like politics, public panic and so forth. Also, it seems harder for us to put full faith in the for-profit health care model in the US. Still, my level of fear of a significant outbreak of ebola is low at this time because I believe the CDC is erring on the side of caution.

No matter. It isn't really a laughing matter. Yet all the ebola threads I see on DU tend to sound ghoulish and full of mockery about a very serious threat to health. I guess my point is that people on DU should consider a little less snark and a little more wisdom in dealing with the many aspects of this health crisis. Making fun of people who are afraid may also mean people will hesitate to come forward when they should be checked out. One has to prepare for any number of potential scenarios. How do we at DU calm fears rather than laugh at and mock those who express genuine anxiety? Because making fun of people is not how we win elections.

[Demit]

1. I can't comprehend someone hesitating to be checked out

if they are experiencing symptoms. Why would anyone NOT want to seek medical help if they suspect they have such a dread disease? It's obviously in their own best interests.

I just can't see someone pretending they don't have symptoms because they are fearful of being mocked. Can't.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

2. Citizens of the currently affected countries all need visas to get here

so traveling around won't hide anything for them.