Second Ebola Case in Dallas

[texasmama]

I seriously doubt that is true. Has there been evidence of this happening before? Do you live in TX and understand the hospital's standing in the area?

Yes.  Texas Health Resources is the largest hospital system in the DFW area.  Texas Health Presbyterian is one of many of the hospitals within this system.  My last child was born at one of the local hospitals within this system.  THR operates 25 hospitals within the DFW area.  In past years, THR has taken over the operation of some private hospitals, further enlarging their system.  THR now operates the hospital nearest to my home, much to my relief, as it has been poorly operated for many years.  I might actually go there now if I had an emergent need.

[Twolittleboys]

I think many hospitals would have been just as unprepared and I don't really blame them for that. However, they should have realized that they wouldn't be able to handle this (not having the appropriate gear, training, or procedures should have been a clue). In my opinion they should have asked to transfer Mr Duncan to a facility better able to handle this right away.

 

Whether this is the end of that hospital we will see. I bet there will at least be new management and a new name... I used to be in accounting/auditing and in my experience even very big, influential firms go down if public outcry is big enough.

[Trilliums]

You church addresses this?  Is that usual?  What does it have to do with church?

 

I am certain my church has no position, positive or negative, on prepping.  

 

 

The LDS church stresses this quite strongly.

[HomeschoolMamaOfTwo]

And now they are saying she had a fever while on that flight....

 

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/15/us-health-ebola-usa-idUSKCN0I40UE20141015

[momacacia]

It has been repeatedly stated how, by the head of the CDC and other experts. I don't think people realize how porous some borders are. To go from country to country in certain areas doesn't even require going through passport control. They could cross borders via land, fly to Europe and then to the U.S. it is unlikely that it would stop travel, and it is likely that it would obfuscate their country of origin.

I understand this, but it would surely significantly decrease the population coming in, especially if visas are no longer issued and revoked until control is established. It may not stop everyone, but it would have stopped someone like Duncan.

[KingM]

Since 9/11 our airports have implemented controls such that they peer beneath your clothes to see if you've got bomb material on you. I'm pretty sure that quarantine in and out of a handful of airports in three affected countries would be easy enough to implement if the political will were there. Will it stop Ebola forever? No, but it might buy the rest of the world several months while a vaccine and better treatment/isolation wards/protocols are developed.

 

Note that this would not preclude us from putting lots more resources toward snuffing out the outbreak at its source.

[Susan in TX]

Yes, because they got to be have the first unannounced Ebola case, I can almost guarantee you that hospital will fail now. No one will want to go there anymore.  But I bet if it had happened at any other hospital in Dallas or in many states, the result would have been the same.  Everyone thought the chance of Ebola showing up at their hospital was remote, so they didn't REALLY take the precautions.  You can think that you have, but until it shows up you do not know for sure.  They just got to be the unlucky hospital that is serving as the example now.  But I bet 90 percent of other hospitals would have been as unprepared.

 

I totally agree. Texas Presbyterian is a good hospital in a major metropolitan area. I think they were as prepared as any hospital could be. After all, Ebola was not supposed to come to America.

 

Susan in TX

[goldberry]

The CBS radio news here in Chicago reported that the second HCW visited family who work at Kent State University and those family members have been told to stay home for the next 21 days.

 

ETA this is confirmed on the Kent State website http://www.kent.edu/news/kent-state-takes-precautions-result-latest-ebola-case-dallas

 

Here's the thing though, "told to stay home"?  The nurse was told not to travel on an airplane.  That didn't work so well.  How is any of this being enforced?

 

Clearly the honor system doesn't work.

[Carrie12345]

I'm wondering about these things, too.

 

When I first heard she was being transferred to Emory, I thought probably it was because Presbyterian already had its hands full with Pham and the fallout from everything.  But now I hear she's being transferred because she's in worse condition than Pham.  So . .  did it somehow hit her harder and faster?  Or has she been sick for much longer than is being said?

 

I'm juggling a dozen things at home and have a miserable cold, so I'm not up to fact checking right now.  BUT, I caught a snippet that said the 2nd nurse was actually caring for Duncan before his official diagnosis.  Before his most contagious stage.  Before the 1st nurse who is apparently in better shape.  Yeah, that makes me a bit nervous!

[Perry]

Here's the thing though, "told to stay home"?  The nurse was told not to travel on an airplane.  That didn't work so well.  How is any of this being enforced?

 

Clearly the honor system doesn't work.

 

I don't know how they're going to enforce it.  That's a giant headache. 

 

I do know that they don't have enough staff to do twice-daily face-to-face checks on the hundreds of people now being monitored.  They will probably have to resort to fines or penalties of some sort to convince people to do what they're supposed to do. 

[Perry]

I'm juggling a dozen things at home and have a miserable cold, so I'm not up to fact checking right now.  BUT, I caught a snippet that said the 2nd nurse was actually caring for Duncan before his official diagnosis.  Before his most contagious stage.  Before the 1st nurse who is apparently in better shape.  Yeah, that makes me a bit nervous!

 

From CNN:

 

Both Dallas health workers had "extensive contact" with Duncan on September 28-30, when he had "extensive production of body fluids" such as vomit and diarrhea, Frieden told reporters in a conference call.

 

[goldberry]

Also the fact that these nurses were taking care of OTHER PATIENTS while also caring for Mr. Duncan.

 

 

 

Is there a reference for this?  I think I missed it.  If this is true, it's ridiculous.

[Carrie12345]

Thank you, Perry!  Seems what I heard was only partially right. Maybe I'll cut back on the DayQuil, lol.

[goldberry]

I don't know how they're going to enforce it.  That's a giant headache. 

 

I do know that they don't have enough staff to do twice-daily face-to-face checks on the hundreds of people now being monitored.  They will probably have to resort to fines or penalties of some sort to convince people to do what they're supposed to do. 

 

Ankle bracelets or something like that?  And any violation should result in incarceration (not jail, but some facility where there is no coming and going.).

 

Sorry, I'm pretty moderate in most cases, but I don't think we should be taking chances or relying on people's integrity at this point.  Better to be seen as "too strict" now than to have this go totally off the rails and then try to decide who is to blame.  After the first HCW diagnosis especially, all other HCWs with contact should have been monitored WAY more closely.

[TracyP]

And now they are saying she had a fever while on that flight....

 

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/15/us-health-ebola-usa-idUSKCN0I40UE20141015

 

I was wondering that. Since they "quarantined" her family, I have to assume she was symptomatic while there. It would follow that she also had symptoms while on the plane.

 

I have been firmly in camp Not Worried, but this is getting ridiculous. I am shocked at the mistakes being made at every. single. step. I have not been worried because ebola shouldn't be very hard to contain. I'm still not worried personally, but I am saddened that more people might get this disease before it is contained. My biggest fear right now is that in an attempt to avoid panic, officials may not be willing to err on the side of caution. I think that ship has sailed. I hope they contact and quarantine everybody who was on that plane. It may be overkill, but I think we have reached the point where overkill is necessary.

 

FWIW, some cities in MN have been treating flu-like symptoms as possible ebola since July. I'm not saying the outcome would have been any better here. I only want to point out that some places have been expecting and planning for ebola to eventually make it to the U.S. It is news to me that not everyone thought that way.

[Carrie12345]

 

 

I have been firmly in camp Not Worried, but this is getting ridiculous.

 

Yup.

I'm still not particularly worried about *catching ebola.

I am concerned about the impact of contacting/monitoring/advising/quarantining/what have you a whole lotta people per case.

[Momof3littles]

On Good Morning America this morning I believe they mentioned caring for other patients, but I don't know if that was an error or if I misheard.  Or maybe they said that  because he was in a room with several other patients initially?  I haven't seen that specified in print, but I am sure they said it on GMA this morning.

 

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/dallas-nurses-describe-ebola-hospital-care-there-was-no-protocol/ar-AA6RbsN

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/dallas-nurses-hospital-sloppy-ebola-protocols-union/story?id=26205956

 

edited to add that this says they did treat other patients while treating Duncan.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/15/dallas-ebola-patient-nurses_n_5991814.html

 

[Carrie12345]

On Good Morning America this morning I believe they mentioned caring for other patients, but I don't know if that was an error or if I misheard.  Or maybe they said that  because he was in a room with several other patients initially?  I haven't seen that specified in print, but I am sure they said it on GMA this morning.

 

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/dallas-nurses-describe-ebola-hospital-care-there-was-no-protocol/ar-AA6RbsN

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/dallas-nurses-hospital-sloppy-ebola-protocols-union/story?id=26205956

 

I read this this morning: http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2014/10/14/Nurses-Union-Duncan-Not-Put-In-Isolation-Waste-Nearly-Piled-Up-to-Ceiling

According to Gupta, nurses “were told at least according, again, to this union to wrap medical tape around their neck, four to five times, they said wrap medical tape around their neck, to try to prevent any of that bodily fluid from touching their exposed skin.†And “also commented on the fact that waste, they didn't know what to do with the waste, and it would pile up nearly to the ceiling in some of these patients' rooms because they didn't know quite what to do with it.â€

 

Putting my positive thinking cap on, it could definitely be a simple grammatical misinterpretation.  That's where I'm choosing to stand right now.

[BlsdMama]

So I assume I'm the only person who taught their six year old hire to bake this morning because I'm going to die from ebola?

 

I'm only mostly joking..... But I really did run statistics through my head of the likelihood of an adult staying healthy in our family to care for the little ones. I feel I've safely passed into the anxious circle at this point. sigh. Refusing to check the news more than twice a day and being otherwise productive while restructuring my grocery list for " reasonable" preparedness........

[ChocolateReignRemix]

So I assume I'm the only person who taught their six year old hire to bake this morning because I'm going to die from ebola?

 

I'm only mostly joking..... But I really did run statistics through my head of the likelihood of an adult staying healthy in our family to care for the little ones. I feel I've safely passed into the anxious circle at this point. sigh. Refusing to check the news more than twice a day and being otherwise productive while restructuring my grocery list for " reasonable" preparedness........

 

I hope the statistics you used had a likelihood of 99.99% that both adults would stay healthy/unaffected by Ebola.

[goldberry]

On Good Morning America this morning I believe they mentioned caring for other patients, but I don't know if that was an error or if I misheard.  Or maybe they said that  because he was in a room with several other patients initially?  I haven't seen that specified in print, but I am sure they said it on GMA this morning.

 

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/dallas-nurses-describe-ebola-hospital-care-there-was-no-protocol/ar-AA6RbsN

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/dallas-nurses-hospital-sloppy-ebola-protocols-union/story?id=26205956

 

edited to add that this says they did treat other patients while treating Duncan.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/15/dallas-ebola-patient-nurses_n_5991814.html

 

 

QUOTE:  The nurses' statement said they had to "interact with Mr. Duncan with whatever protective equipment was available," even as he produced "a lot of contagious fluids." Duncan's medical records underscore that concern. They also say nurses treating Duncan were also caring for other patients in the hospital and that, in the face of constantly shifting guidelines, they were allowed to follow whichever ones they chose.

 

:blink:  :blink:  :blink: 

[Katy]

Here's the thing though, "told to stay home"?  The nurse was told not to travel on an airplane.  That didn't work so well.  How is any of this being enforced?

 

Clearly the honor system doesn't work.

 

She wasn't notified of the CDC recommendation, she was not under a quarantine restriction.

 

And as for the other thing, in a standard med-surge floor it's typical to have at least 6 patients.

 

When moved to critical care, it's more typical to have 3 patients per nurse.

[Carrie12345]

I think this is grossly inaccurate.

 

 

I am baffled by the reaction of those who feel the CDC has fallen down on the job.  As far as I can tell no one in Dallas followed the CDC recommendations.  Local authorities are in charge of local issues of illness- not the CDC.

 

We had three ebola cases in the US already and none of the workers in Emory, or in Nebraska contracted ebola.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't those places chosen specifically for their ability? (And prepared for their patients?)

 

I know nothing of nursing.  I am getting the impression that up to date knowledge/training/equipment on this matter isn't a widespread thing.  I really don't know who's "fault" that is, but I'm curious as to who should be fixing it.

[goldberry]

She wasn't notified of the CDC recommendation, she was not under a quarantine restriction.

 

And as for the other thing, in a standard med-surge floor it's typical to have at least 6 patients.

 

When moved to critical care, it's more typical to have 3 patients per nurse.

 

The article I read said she was told it was ok to travel but not any commercial/mass transportation.  This went along with her self-monitoring protocol.  She ignored that.

 

Also I would think that what is "standard" might take a backseat to something as potentially serious as Ebola.  Treating multiple Ebola patients?  Sure.  Treating Ebola patients and then other non-infected patients?  Why would they take that chance, even a small one?

[goldberry]

Where is the massive push to have this newly infected nurse (Amber) arrested?

 

 

Many wanted to arrest Duncan.  Where is the public outcry that an american educated nurse who knew she had been exposed and knew she was at high risk flew with a fever?

 

I actually did read many comments expressing exactly that.  If anything, people seemed to feel she was more culpable than Duncan, given her knowledge and education.  

[Just Kate]

Where is the massive push to have this newly infected nurse (Amber) arrested?

 

 

Many wanted to arrest Duncan. Where is the public outcry that an american educated nurse who knew she had been exposed and knew she was at high risk flew with a fever?

Actually, I've seen a lot of this in the comments section in news stories. I've also seen it on facebook. Sadly, many comments about withholding treatment are out there as well. In my opinion, people seem as angry at this nurse as they seemed at Duncan (from the few stories I've read).

[vonfirmath]

Where is the massive push to have this newly infected nurse (Amber) arrested?

 

 

Many wanted to arrest Duncan.  Where is the public outcry that an american educated nurse who knew she had been exposed and knew she was at high risk flew with a fever?

 

Give it a few hours. It took time to get there with Duncan too.

[Laurie4b]

The article I read said she was told it was ok to travel but not any commercial/mass transportation.  This went along with her self-monitoring protocol.  She ignored that.

 

Also I would think that what is "standard" might take a backseat to something as potentially serious as Ebola.  Treating multiple Ebola patients?  Sure.  Treating Ebola patients and then other non-infected patients?  Why would they take that chance, even a small one?

 

http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/15/health/texas-ebola-outbreak/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

 

This article contains the info about not traveling in commercial transportation.  It also says that she got on the plane with a fever of 99.5. I'm just a gal in the peanut gallery but even from just reading news I know that once you have a fever, you are contagious. I cannot comprehend a health care professional getting on a plane with a fever after caring for an ebola patient. Utterly irresponsible if it's all true.

 

ETA: Glad that I put in that last line as a disclaimer because as it turns out the nurse was responsible.

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that Vinson called the agency several times before flying, saying that she had a fever with a temperature of 99.5 degrees. But because her fever wasn't 100.4 degrees or higher, she didn't officially fall into the group of "high risk" and was allowed to fly. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/ebola-nurse-called-cdc-several-times/

 

[Katy]

The article I read said she was told it was ok to travel but not any commercial/mass transportation.  This went along with her self-monitoring protocol.  She ignored that.

 

Also I would think that what is "standard" might take a backseat to something as potentially serious as Ebola.  Treating multiple Ebola patients?  Sure.  Treating Ebola patients and then other non-infected patients?  Why would they take that chance, even a small one?

 

The news I've seen today (mostly CNN) stated the new protocol will include travel restrictions but the one given to her did not, so I'm going to reserve judgment on that.

 

I agree that anything so deadly should be treated in isolation, without nurses being assigned to other patients, but the hospital was told that this was standard droplet precaution.  Literally until the news about taping up exposed skin came out, the official guideline was that it was VERY DIFFICULT to catch this disease and that the nurses were safe.

 

Say whatever you want about crappy hospital procedures, but I'm blaming the CDC on this one.  There is NO REASON they couldn't have changed the guideline to say that due to the severity of the disease they recommended airborne precautions and covering all skin.  Literally until this second nurse was diagnosed they said a face shield was fine.

[Mbelle]

Ebola is a bad virus and I don't want anyone to get it. Being cautious makes good sense, but very fearful doesn't seem quite necessary.  Until recently I attended a church (with common communion cup) where a large percentage of the congregation are from Liberia.  Some of them are business people who traveled back and forth all the time many many times per year.  We have visiting family members and clergy often from Liberia. Yet, no on has Ebola and this current outbreak has been going on for 9-10 months.

[Twolittleboys]

No question - the nurse shouldn't have been flying. But I am sure she never thought that she might really have caught ebola when she flew to Cleveland. I mean first of all noone would willingly infect their family and secondly I would assume that anyone would go to the hospital as soon as possible as it seems the outcome is much better if treatment starts early.

 

So no matter the result (and I am fairly hopeful that noone has been infected due to her flying) this was definitely an error in judgement but I don't think she should be reviled for that. People do stupid, potentially dangerous things every day: texting while driving, going to work/school with the flu, driving too fast etc. Wrong - yes but it doesn't make them monsters.

[goldberry]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/15/health/texas-ebola-outbreak/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

 

This article contains the info about not traveling in commercial transportation.  It also says that she got on the plane with a fever of 99.5. I'm just a gal in the peanut gallery but even from just reading news I know that once you have a fever, you are contagious. I cannot comprehend a health care professional getting on a plane with a fever after caring for an ebola patient. Utterly irresponsible if it's all true.

 

I agree with this.  There had to be some kind of denial going on, because I just can't believe it could be purposeful.  But people can become very irrational in the face of something like that. Which is a good reason for better enforcement of restrictions.

 

(Sort of related, we knew a woman who had breast cancer so advanced she had oozing sores on her breast, yet insisted she was fine and refused to go to the doctor.  Denial is not uncommon in severe health situations.)

[JoJosMom]

Never mind. Internet equivalent of wasting my breath.

[Pen]

I am saying that I think there are better ways of doing it. I don't think the biggest problem is people coming into the country with Ebola, I think the biggest problem is that the U.S. does not have a plan for how to deal with an outbreak, in addition to the cost of accessing healthcare.

 

 

Both.  All 3. They are all contributory factors.

 

If it did not come in first place, the second would not be a factor. 

 

Once it arrives, which not only has already happened, but is pretty much inevitable to happen again, unless the outbreak is stopped in Africa, the second and also 3rd factors come into play.

 

A "plan" moreover, is not the same as the ability to carry out a "plan."

 

And if 60plus health care workers are being exposed for every one patient, it could easily overwhelm any plan to control it very quickly.

[KingM]

I'm more upset with her than the original patient. She's a medical professional; she knows better.

[Just Kate]

What would it matter if they had? The hospital wasnt following their recommendations anyway. And as someone pointed out- the CDC makes recommendations. Not regulation.

 

 

I dont think she is a monster, but she is clearly not the brightest bulb and she certainly has not yet been subject to the same level of ire here as Duncan was.

I disagree with your last statement. I have seen lots of comments along the lines of not providing any medical treatment of this nurse (including many statements of "let her die"). I think she is being vilified just as Duncan was. People are upset that she should have known better.

 

By the way, I don't agree with these statements...just sharing what I am seeing in the comments sections in articles posted on FB.

[Pen]

Our church stresses preparedness, but we are one of those families who would run out of food and supplies within days.  

 

Some of us do not even live in places suitable to storing all that much: small apartments, trailers...not to mention park benches, cars, and other such places. Many cannot afford it.

[Colleen]

Well, I was enjoying this thread but I'm going to have to stop reading now because the hysteria is getting out of control.

 

Eh, I'm not hearing hysteria, just discussion of what is currently and understandably a hot topic.

 

I'm not reading that the second nurse is being transferred because she is so ill. I've read she is stable.

 

Same.

 

I cannot comprehend a health care professional getting on a plane with a fever after caring for an ebola patient. Utterly irresponsible if it's all true.

 

True, but given the number of utterly irresponsible things I've done ~ and given that a young, healthy person often lives with the delusional belief that s/he is immortal ~ I can't rush to judgment.

[Katy]

I'm disappointed that so many are self righteous about a low-grade fever.  Many, many people don't even notice that they have a fever at that temperature, and if it's a warm day it's quite easy to get to that temperature without actually having a fever.  That's why they don't test for ebola unless the temperature is 100.4 or higher.  That is a higher temp than she had on the plane.

[Joker]

The phone conference that was broadcast on CNN a short while ago stated that she was being transferred due to being very ill.  My guess is there will be online stories about it in an hour or two, but it takes a little while to write and publish to the web.

 

Everything I've watched and read is still saying "ill, but stable". They are also discussing the possiblity of transferring the first nurse and she is seemingly doing much better. I've seen nothing that says the reason for the transfer is because of how ill she is but rather that they now feel most hospitals aren't equipped to handle the care safely.

 

[Butter]

I'm disappointed that so many are self righteous about a low-grade fever.  Many, many people don't even notice that they have a fever at that temperature, and if it's a warm day it's quite easy to get to that temperature without actually having a fever.  That's why they don't test for ebola unless the temperature is 100.4 or higher.  That is a higher temp than she had on the plane.

 

Most people are not healthcare workers who just cared for a person who died from Ebola.  Most people are not required to check their temperature twice a day because they have been exposed to Ebola and an elevated temperature, any higher than normal - and when you are checking twice daily you know what normal is, could be the first symptom of Ebola.

 

[Ausmumof3]

It would be easy not to notice, but presumably she knew about it as it's known what her temperature was and she knew that she'd been caring for an Ebola patient.

 

I don't want to demonise her either, it sounds like the instructions about travel weren't made very clear or specific and she didn't know about the other nurse. Plus she's probably been told like everyone else how uncontagious it is.

 

The nurse in cairns here with a low grade fever was admitted to hospital and monitored although it turned out to be nothing. She also put herself into a voluntary quarantine for 21 days. I am concerned that two medical personnel have been stood down over the handling of the woman in aus. It was unclear in the article whether they were being stood down because of handling of the case or because of communication with the media. If it's the latter it concerns me.

[Valley Girl]

I'm disappointed that so many are self righteous about a low-grade fever.  Many, many people don't even notice that they have a fever at that temperature, and if it's a warm day it's quite easy to get to that temperature without actually having a fever.  That's why they don't test for ebola unless the temperature is 100.4 or higher.  That is a higher temp than she had on the plane.

 

True, but most people are not under specific instructions to self-monitor for fever. Most people have not directly cared for someone suffering from ebola under what appears to have been very unsafe conditions. Most people do not work with a colleague who contracted ebola from said patient. Most people have not been instructed not to travel via public transportation because of their potential risk of contracting the disease. (The report I read said she was allowed to travel but not by public transport.) Most people are not healthcare professionals who reasonably could be expected to know the risks, especially now. There is a world of difference between the average person who legitimately might not notice a low-grade fever and this second nurse. That's why people are justifiably concerned and, yes, angry at the unnecessary risk she created for others. Hopefully, she recovers fully and no one she was in contact with gets sick.

[KingM]

I don't feel that I'm demonizing, so much as expressing disappointment, but more importantly, concern that such a thing is even possible given how dangerous this situation is. Hopefully, this will be a wakeup call for future infections.

[unsinkable]

I watched the second nurse boarding the plane to ATL.

 

She and about 4 caregivers were gowned in protective suits and heads covered.

 

There was one guy in a shirt and slacks.

 

I guess he forgot to don his plague apparel.

[PeachyDoodle]

Everything I've watched and read is still saying "ill, but stable". They are also discussing the possiblity of transferring the first nurse and she is seemingly doing much better. I've seen nothing that says the reason for the transfer is because of how ill she is but rather that they now feel most hospitals aren't equipped to handle the care safely.

 

 

The video they've been showing on the news depicts her climbing the stairs to the airplane with assistance (she's the one in the yellow protective suit). I believe that was this afternoon. I wouldn't think she would be ambulatory at all if she were that bad off. I haven't heard anything specifically describing her current condition, but this leads me to believe the transfer to Emory is more of a precautionary measure.

[Trish]

I think this is grossly inaccurate.

 

 

I am baffled by the reaction of those who feel the CDC has fallen down on the job.  As far as I can tell no one in Dallas followed the CDC recommendations.  Local authorities are in charge of local issues of illness- not the CDC.

 

 

 

I heard the head of the CDC, Dr. Frieden, say that he'd have no problem taking care of a patient without shoe covering. In fact I looked at the CDC ebola PDF and is said you needed a mask, face shield (hair exposed on the PDF), no shoe covering, gown to the knees. I can't link but it was quite startling to see what the protocols for hospitals are.

 

They ARE falling down on the job. I have yet to see them get back up!

 

[Trish]

I'm disappointed that so many are self righteous about a low-grade fever.  Many, many people don't even notice that they have a fever at that temperature, and if it's a warm day it's quite easy to get to that temperature without actually having a fever.  That's why they don't test for ebola unless the temperature is 100.4 or higher.  That is a higher temp than she had on the plane.

 

How do we know it was 99.5 if she didn't take her temperature?

 

I would think if you are being monitored for EBOLA, then ANY rise in temperature would be cause to be on notice. NOT taking flights across the country. (which I don't think should have been done whether she felt well or not)

 

Comparing this situation to a "warm day" makes it sound like we're discussing whether or not kids should go to school. This is a Life and Death Disease. Maybe a little more righteous indignation will get potential exposees to at least stay in their home city rather than travel the country! 

 

"You are now free to infect around the country..."

 

 

[Halftime Hope]

I guess if Africa is supposed to solve this problem for themselves - the whole continent?- we should do the same. Lets quarantine and stop travel in and out of Texas. :D

 

Hmpph, they shoulda stopped all travel of the healthcare workers who had been near him.  The mind boggles at the stupidity. 

 

I was impressed that Nina Pham only had one contact, although had it been me, I really think I would have tried to have him couch surf with friends for three weeks.

 

This other lady.  I just cannot fathom.

 

The other thing that boggles the mind:  if the CDC says that the patients are being monitored, how they do that with her out of town? 

 

Good on New Jersey for court ordering a mandatory isolation of the news crew that was with the Nebraska guy a couple of days ago.

[Pawz4me]

CNN is saying that the nurse called the CDC and told them she was running a temperature of 99.5.  And they told her it was okay to go ahead and fly.

 

I don't have a link; this is what they're saying on TV right now.

 

The CDC's okay for her to fly goes along with what they've been saying all along (that even a person with a low grade fever wouldn't be contagious).  But it seems to me it was a hugely stupid thing to do.  Mostly because . . . why?  Why not just have her go to a hospital in Cleveland?

 

Had she been trying to board a plane in Liberia with that temperature she would've been stopped.

 

ETA:  Found an article to confirm that she says she called CDC before flying.