Doubters Hate To Say I Told You So, But...
Very few truly trusted the official statements from "The Authorities" regarding our ability to safely handle any Ebola patients when they brought stricken American health care workers into the U.S. from Liberia. As time passed, they assured us that there had been no additional cases other than the original one from a symptom free Liberian traveler who ended up at a Dallas hospital. Now, in Dallas we have a secondary case of a stricken worker who was caring for the original case.
In the following excerpt from the Washington Post article Thomas Frieden practically admits that we do not know what we are doing in regard to protecting the entire nation. A few well trained facilities will not defend from the symptom free traveler who may end up in some smaller urban area ill or not equipped at all to deal with Ebola. What then?
Excerpt“We need to consider the possibility that there could be additional cases, particularly among the health-care workers who cared for [Duncan] when he was so ill,” Frieden said. “We would not be surprised if we did see additional cases.”
Asked about how many people at the hospital might be at risk and in need of monitoring, Frieden said: “It’s a relatively large number, we think. . . . We cast a wide net and then narrow that down.”
Pham, whom family members and a church rector identified to a Dallas television station as the infected nurse, remained in stable condition at the hospital Monday, officials said. Investigators had tracked down only one person she might have had contact with since showing symptoms of the disease Friday. Pham, who had been at home taking her temperature twice a day, notified the hospital when she developed a fever, and she quickly was admitted to an isolated unit.".......
As investigators work to figure out how Pham got infected, health officials already are considering exactly what protocols need strengthening at U.S. hospitals. The CDC said it will examine every aspect of dealing with suspected or confirmed Ebola cases, including how best to staff isolation units and how protective gear is put on and taken off.
“We have not identified a specific problem that led to this infection,” Frieden said. “We have identified a series of things where we can make the care safer and easier for the health-care workers that are providing it.”
Some new measures already are being put in place, Frieden said. Among other things, the CDC says a “buddy system” is essential for health-care workers to ensure the proper removal of protective gear. It is unclear whether that practice was in place in Dallas and how common it is elsewhere."
In the following excerpt from the Washington Post article Thomas Frieden practically admits that we do not know what we are doing in regard to protecting the entire nation. A few well trained facilities will not defend from the symptom free traveler who may end up in some smaller urban area ill or not equipped at all to deal with Ebola. What then?
Excerpt“We need to consider the possibility that there could be additional cases, particularly among the health-care workers who cared for [Duncan] when he was so ill,” Frieden said. “We would not be surprised if we did see additional cases.”
Asked about how many people at the hospital might be at risk and in need of monitoring, Frieden said: “It’s a relatively large number, we think. . . . We cast a wide net and then narrow that down.”
Pham, whom family members and a church rector identified to a Dallas television station as the infected nurse, remained in stable condition at the hospital Monday, officials said. Investigators had tracked down only one person she might have had contact with since showing symptoms of the disease Friday. Pham, who had been at home taking her temperature twice a day, notified the hospital when she developed a fever, and she quickly was admitted to an isolated unit.".......
As investigators work to figure out how Pham got infected, health officials already are considering exactly what protocols need strengthening at U.S. hospitals. The CDC said it will examine every aspect of dealing with suspected or confirmed Ebola cases, including how best to staff isolation units and how protective gear is put on and taken off.
“We have not identified a specific problem that led to this infection,” Frieden said. “We have identified a series of things where we can make the care safer and easier for the health-care workers that are providing it.”
Some new measures already are being put in place, Frieden said. Among other things, the CDC says a “buddy system” is essential for health-care workers to ensure the proper removal of protective gear. It is unclear whether that practice was in place in Dallas and how common it is elsewhere."
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