Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional! I am simply expressing my opinion on said subject from articles I have come across. I have no opinion on if the media or medical professionals are withholding important information regarding the severity of the virus.
Ebola.
It's a word that makes everyone cringe right now as it should.
As someone who has a compromised immune system it's even more concerning. It's scary knowing that a virus is fatal and that we are unable to get a shot or medication to prevent us from catching and treatment is still in trial stages. So when a friend informed me that what the media is telling us isn't true I wanted this information.
There has and will always be rumors, conspiracy theories, research and studies that report otherwise to what the public is told.
I'm not saying it's something we don't need to worry about, we do need to worry but to a degree.
There are studies that talk about airborne transfer between fruit bats, pigs, and monkey. Medically, an airborne virus means the virus is able to stay alive without liquid, this is where the gray area is and people believe this is how the media and medical professionals are "allowed" to say it is not airborne.
. A study was conducted between monkeys and pigs in 2012. All pigs and monkeys were in cages in close proximity but never had contact with one another. A pig had the virus and a monkey was able to contract the virus from the pig. Researches don't know for sure how the monkey contracted the virus., but Dr. Gary Kobinger who was involved in the study had this to say,
"What we suspect is happening is large droplets: they can stay in the air, but not long, they don't go far," explained to BBC News. "But they can be absorbed in the airway and this is how the infection starts, and this is what we think, because we saw a lot of evidence in the lungs of the non-human primates that the virus got in that way,"
But with that being said, and what we're being told/not told by the media people need to calm down! Hospitals are taking precaution isolating those who have symptoms even if it's thought they just have a flu or haven't left the country. Boarders are taking precautions as well. We're in a 1st world country where we see doctors and have people aware of what is actively around us. We're not in a 3rd world country where the majority of the public fears doctors and has minimal amount of medical centers. We are accessible to things that can prevent the spread of the virus (gloves, mask, etc). And if a death occurs here, those handling the corpse will use gloves, mask etc.. Unlike those in Africa who come in contact with their loved one's corpse and has to bury it on their own.
Is it something to be aware of" Yes. Should precautions take place? Yes. But should we fear leaving our own home? No. People really need to calm down, ebola has been a virus that has claimed lives since 2009 (that I was able to find). This is why the doctor and aid was in Africa. The reason we're just now finding out about this is because most likely, this is the first time someone from a 1st world country is affected by this.
Those who have a weak immune system are honestly the only non-medical group who should be concerned. But this isn't anything new, we always take precaution with anyone who has been around someone who is sick, cold and flu included.
Source: SCG News
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