Ebola

[EmpHolisticGifts]

There are different average death rates quoted for different strains of Ebola. There are also the actual death rates for those falling ill in this outbreak - and those vary considerably based on a range of factors including where the patient is, what the local infrastructure is like, how fast the patient is given medical care and the quality of that care.
- yes my guess was quality of care, different strains had not really been mentioned apart from how they THINK it is mutating.


Sure there is. You just have to make that choice. It's a decision where you balance your perceived need to carry on as normal - and therefore risk contamination - or retreat to a safe zone. The difficulty comes in deciding when to make that choice.
- well after MANY years unemployed due to the recession not really a choice about giving up the job when they only just have it, and the debs that have of course built up :-(
- other is at college and considering it was the ONLY college that would gave a place, hardly can give it up...

I'd guess that there is a fair chance of getting contaminated material on the outside of the bag, too. Not to mention the fact that someone has to enter a contaminated area in order to get the body into the bag.
- yes material can go on the outside but of course that is cleaned off prior to it been taken 'outside' etc
In theory body bag can be cleaned off, moved to a separate area and then taken from there as I am guessing there are different sections of infection zones etc

There's a lot more you could do. You could spend a lot of time and money preparing for the worst case scenario, buying lots of expensive equipment and stocking up. Or you could scale that back a bit and take reasonable precautions such as stocking up on extra food (etc) to give you a few weeks buffer, buying extra disinfectants and soaps (etc) and discussing the facts with your family to enable you to work out a plan that works for you all. Or you could just sit back and leave it all to someone else, hoping that "they" have the time and resources to look after you should it become necessary.
- For many there is not space or money for extra equipment or stocking up
- yes for the extra gloves, food etc if you have the finances, however as an average person in a city, with people going out to work, one is limited and if its fated to be you, your family you just have to do your best :-) ... and back to hope, pray and boost immunity ;-)
- I think a lot of the response by the government etc is do nothing and hope for the best, and many will have the attitude that - it wont happen (to us). Everyone sees that everyday with many examples of 'everyday life'.

With the news articles about how many children are orphaned, I do wonder if it MAY be like the Spanish flu and only goes for the young and healthy? Not really seen any stats on the age etc of the majority of the victims.

Lots of ways to do research though, the walking dead, 28 days, contagion ... ;-)

[EmpHolisticGifts]

Take a trip to Kelveden Hatch & once inside refuse to leave!

- but does it have wifi? - priorities ;-)

[bluebedouin]

- but does it have wifi? - priorities ;-)

Haven't you seen the size of the aerial?

[damian_steele]

- well after MANY years unemployed due to the recession not really a choice about giving up the job when they only just have it, and the debs that have of course built up :-(

The decision is still the same. If the outbreak becomes bad enough - and realistically it shouldn't get to this stage in the Western world - then a collapse of local society and currency is quite likely. If everything goes to pot then nobody will have paid jobs and the local currency wouldn't be worth anything anyway; a cupboard full of food would make one a rich man.

- other is at college and considering it was the ONLY college that would gave a place, hardly can give it up...

Again, this is the same as above.
What is the point of keeping a college placement if it means catching a disease that is likely to kill you?

yes material can go on the outside but of course that is cleaned off prior to it been taken 'outside' etc

Would you take the risk when it could only take the tiniest smear of infected material to kill you?

- For many there is not space or money for extra equipment or stocking up
- yes for the extra gloves, food etc if you have the finances, however as an average person in a city, with people going out to work, one is limited and if its fated to be you, your family you just have to do your best :-)

OK, this is really drifting off topic, so I'll briefly cover this.
Despite what most people think it is not difficult to stock up for a disaster/emergency situation. There are always discount offers, two-for-ones or similar that can be taken advantage of. Buy one item for use and one for storage. Over time a decent stock can be built up for very little extra cost. Remember to rotate the stored items with fresh.
Storage of items can also be done if the desire is there. Everyone has unused space, even in the smallest of dwellings. Extra supplies can be kept in the gaps underneath the bottom drawer or on the top shelf of a wardrobe; a stack of boxes with a plank on top, covered with a sheet becomes a table. Move a bookcase a few inches out from a wall and suddenly there's loads of room to stack supplies.
However you do it, the point is that it can be done if you have the desire. Instead most people just find the excuses.

I think a lot of the response by the government etc is do nothing and hope for the best, and many will have the attitude that - it wont happen (to us). Everyone sees that everyday with many examples of 'everyday life'.

Exactly correct. In any large scale disaster the resources available to local government, health services or emergency services are going to be so stretched that the majority of people will be left to cope on their own. Those who expected to be rescued will be in for a shock. Those who prepared to cope for at least a week or two on their own will stand a far better chance of coming through the other end.

With the news articles about how many children are orphaned, I do wonder if it MAY be like the Spanish flu and only goes for the young and healthy? Not really seen any stats on the age etc of the majority of the victims.

You might want to think about that. If the kids are being orphaned it's because their parents are dying, so is the disease targeting the very young? As far as I know Ebola is an equal opportunity killer favouring neither young or old particularly - although those who are already compromised will of course have a harder time fighting off any illness.

Lots of ways to do research though, the walking dead, 28 days, contagion ... ;-)

It is starting to feel a little like that.

[astral276]

a cupboard full of food would make one a rich man.

Unless it was all Pot Noodles.

[damian_steele]

Unless it was all Pot Noodles.

Oh, come on, Mel.

I said a cupboard full of food.

[burgyeb]

Have been looking at various areas within the USA and beyond to see what type of dedicated treatment centers, treatment guidelines, etc. are being put into place. New York has been preparing for EVD since August. A physician who had been treating Ebola patients in Guinea, was diagnosed with ebola at Bellevue Hospital, NYC recently.

New York has 8 designated ebola treatment centers throughout the state. I was not able to pinpoint any in New Jersey. However, the governors of New Jersey and New York have established mandatory quarantine policies at airports in both states. Both states have also initiated medical personnel incentive programs, to encourage medical personnel to go to Africa to assist with the infrastructure of care.

New York has developed an outline articulating an ebola preparedness plan. One of the designated treatment centers has prepared an extremely comprehensive ebola manual for other facilities, states, and the government, to help in structuring ebola preparedness policies/programs.

Texas has two designated treatment centers. Other states mentioned were Atlanta and Nebraska. Individual states seem to be taking the lead position in preparing for this devastating disease. The CDC has taken some recent slack on their responses/information provided to the public.

Reviewing the manual on the one hand made me feel more confident that this disease can be managed/controlled; but at the same time it made the disease appear monstrous, because of the details involved in dealing with the disease.

[burgyeb]

Question? Has the UK designated treatment centers yet? I do recall someone mentioning # of beds; this could be isolation beds/specific ebola isolation beds.

[cambrensis]

In 1961 I left Wales and came to Essex as a teacher. In November of that year there was panic in the popular press. There was a smallpox epidemic in South Wales. There were photographs of the huge queues of people lining up for booster vaccinations. Dutifully I went to the doctor for a booster vaccination. Kind people at the school in which I worked, one a doctor's wife, petitioned the Authority that if I went home I should not be allowed back...and so on.


When I arrived home the real story was different, of course. There had been smallpox - in one village and in two adjacent houses. It was the same family. One, a nurse, had just come back from Asia, guessed what was happening and informed the authorities. They had done what was necessary


They will do the same again when necessary. This does not prevent the panic created by the press and public in general of course, but you may expect them to behave in a typically British way...(wry grin).


I am in touch with a priest in Liberia two or three times a week. The first to leave were embassy staff. I wonder how they were checked and those whom they encountered en route? Silly me! They were travelling in their diplomatic bags! So let's check Calais instead!


No...no real pont as there will be no Liberians there. The economy was broken before this happened. The biggest problem now is homelessness; as nobody can work in the markets etc., there is a massive problem with paying rents when the average is $50 a month paid three months in advance. So...they will travel to Calais? That's a laugh! It's a damned long walk across the Sahara. Safer to risk ebola. Of course they can fly...when they can't pay the rent? Whole families? Anybody checked the fares?


Worry not about the migrants in Calais. batten down your hatches all you wish - but do check your Diplomatic Bags!


Sorry but I can see the way this is going...

[damian_steele]

Question? Has the UK designated treatment centers yet? I do recall someone mentioning # of beds; this could be isolation beds/specific ebola isolation beds.

It seems that the folks in charge have decided that we do not currently need dedicated treatment centres in the UK. We have one or two hospital locations with existing or upgraded facilities to deal with very high risk illnesses and that is where the (expected) very small number of cases will be sent.

Meanwhile we have sent soldiers to build a treatment centre in Sierra Leone where it makes sense to have one. I believe it has just opened within the last day or so.