Writing
This week New York and NJ began requiring a mandatory quarantine of professionals dealing with ebola stricken patients. Chris Christie is not one of my favorite people. I didn’t, I wouldn’t, I won’t vote for him. He is likely to be politically motivated in his decisions, however, I am not privy to his heart and cannot comment on that.
Distaste for the governor notwithstanding, today I am inclined to at least lend credence, while not versed in the legality of it, to his temporary quarantine of the heroic people who were exposed to the virus. Unlike most Americans, these medical practitioners understand that Ebola is not about Africa, borders, bats, or some remote disease in a remote location -- that people who are so far we can’t see their eyes – are dying from.
Doctors and nurses who volunteer go into the most perilous regions, because they know that a humanitarian crisis is underway. They understand that little children are losing their entire families, and are left to die of not from disease but because they are being viewed by others as plague ridden carriers of a deadly disease that has the potential to wipe out an entire population. They know that our little American kids are as very loved as the little African children that are living a reality fit for an apocalyptic movie. These healthcare workers without borders are selfless, kind, humanitarian beings who we should honor and support financially, morally and in any way we can.
That said, we do want to curb the progression of the disease, not only at the source but also beyond borders, and maybe isolation of people who have been in contact with the disease isn’t the stupidest thing the governor has ever done, particularly if they had a temperature. It may be as controversial as many of his stances, but not an entirely bad idea. While heroes who selflessly help other human beings should not have their rights stripped and be isolated in cement cells with metal toilets, they should also not go bowling and ride the subway.
Let’s recap, so we are clear on extent of pain and suffering:
At least 4,869 people have died from an outbreak of Ebola in West Africa, according to the World Health Organization. Another strain of the virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed at least 41.
Now, doctors see fevers every day, when a patient presents with fever they aren’t all going to be handled in appropriate gear – that is one way the doctors begin getting infected early on, but even in countries where we know the disease is rampant, and medical professionals are taking precautions but they are still contracting the disease.
When asked how health workers are contracting the disease a WHO spokesperson told Vox, to which she replied, "it's a bit of a mystery" right now.
Thomas Duncan arrived from Africa, told medical staff he had a fever, told people he had been exposed to Ebola, was sent home – he was treated though while with fever, touched, handled, by people who had not prepared to handle that disease. He returned to the hospital very ill, died.
Nurse Pham cared for the patient, I would assume all geared up, yet contracted the disease. She traveled while not experiencing symptoms but woke up with a fever a day or two after being on a plane and in a bridal shop trying clothes on, so yeah the people in contact with her will have to wait 21 days to see if they experience symptoms. All I am saying is that it makes sense in light of our gaps of knowledge, to exercise a bit of abundance of caution.
Craig Spencer, 33, an emergency physician at New York Presbyterian Hospital returning from Guinea, in West Africa, having tended to patients with Ebola, fully geared in a HAZMAT suit. He contracted the disease. The notion that their contagions is quote "a bit of a mystery right now" – should allow us to be a little stupid and over the top with protective measures; while not overly panicked and insane. A nice place with premium channels and five star service would be a nice middle ground for quarantined quarters.
CNN reported in August that to avoid spreading the disease "special air handling" and windows and an intercom so guests can interact with patients without being in the room were necessary. HAZMAT suits had to be taken off with special care also prevent spread of virus... Why do you need to monitor air quality if it isn't airborne? Amazingly, at the same time you hear things of that nature that focus on precautions, you also hear– it’s not that contagious folks, calm the fuck down, if you aren’t in direct contact with body fluids you won’t get it.
So what are we to surmise about the healthcare workers who have been trained to take ever precaution and have contracted the disease?
Let me just say this: New York City has 8 million residents. Bellevue hospital has four rooms that are geared toward treating patients in isolation. Whether or not you think the chances are great of an outbreak that would not be considered preparedness, would it? Enough said about this, let’s be fair. Politicians are damned whether they do or whether they don’t in terms of precautions-- but are they being evaluated on choices they make for funding? Because herein lies the root cause of the lack of infrastructure abroad.
Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, has withheld approval of the funds in the Senate, saying that it would add demands on a defense budget already stretched thin.
Senator David Vitter, another Republican, unhappy with AID being sent out said, “Instead of using powers given to him, the President is requesting $1 billion for a plan that has not been presented to members of Congress, focuses on Africa, and largely ignores our own borders”.
These ignorant, one sided, politically inclined, morally objectionable views are what make me a democrat in our country. We may not have gotten all we wished for with this administration but we have been clearly on the right side of humanitarian issues in many ways, namely those related to health. In my view, public health wins when democrats are elected. Sorry if we can’t bomb as many people as you would like as a result of the monetary allocation.
NOW HEAR THIS ANYONE WHOSE VOICE CAN BE MADE HEARD WITH A VOTE:
It is mathematically impossible for a linear scale up of Ebola treatment units when contagion, particularly in Africa, is nowhere near linear. One medical center is built, 20 people are sick, by the time another is built, there are a hundred sick.
So open your pockets, Republicans. Don’t worry about getting people to hate Obama. Plenty already do. If you want to contain this because your fellow humans are in peril, FUND it! FUND HUMANITARIAN AID as easily as you vote for guns and oppose raising the minimum wage! You too are always just a certain number of paychecks away, or just a virus away from being like that other guy. That’s how you worry about your borders.
Putting aside the debate of precautions, quarantine and visas, THIS IS YOUR WORLD and no man made border will save you from yourself. BE YOUR BROTHER’S KEEPER or some how, some way, you will end up being one of the faceless thousands you now only view as a black threat.
