Re: Discussion - 1st ebola case in US (excluding health care worker transfer) Dallas, Texas
Re: Discussion - 1st ebola case in US (excluding health care worker transfer) Dallas, Texas
Curiosity.
I completely agree with you BUT it must be also acknowledged that fear is a very normal and human response. Rather than being papered over, fears need to be acknowledged where justified, then addressed fully and placed into context with information and transparency.
A parralel might be where an individual is told they may/do have a disease that could be fatal. There are a number of reaction processes, that are well established in the literature. I think individuals exposed to ebola probably go through the same process, as does the community around them...
A clinical psychologist can correct me, but in overview (as I understand it)
Fear and denial is the first response, usually followed by anger, followed by rationalisation, and then acceptance and resignation, and then concern for others (what will my family do if I am gone/ what if I expose them/ what if they have been exposed) and practically addressing the things that need doing to prepare for this eventuality.
People will react with fear. With something like ebola it is inevitable. What is key here is how those fears are addressed, through information, education and transparency... and time. Plenty of communication is needed about what is being done to manage the situation, minimise risks, what will be done if it has been spread to others, how they will be treated (and at whose cost), what will be done to further reduce risks of new cases escaping the system (so that any mistakes made do not happen again).
Everyone is on a learning curve and in new territory here.
Fear is absolutely normal.
Unfounded fear created by speculation and worse case scenario, non-factual information is not.
Education and information is key to reducing anxiety and resolving fear. Both of which the CDC is trying very hard to provide to the best of their ability based on how they have been trained to respond to public concern.
Everything the CDC reports continues to come under fire as not being trustworthy.
Who is the trustworthy source, then?
Who should the public look to for information and guidance? The media like CNN and FoxNews? Flutrackers?
What has the CDC said in this event that is actually false, inaccurate, or a downright lie? Where is the
demonstration that they are spinning lies out of this event? Not what we "feel" is false. Not what we "think" is false. List the bona fide, factual falsities.
If I were to promote such statements about the integrity and capability of a whole system which could potentially initiate panic and fear, I would be sure:
1. to know what facts exist that
demonstrate the Public Health System is failing to respond to Ebola.
2. to see factual medical studies that
demonstrate the Ebola virus behaves different than what the CDC says it does
3. to document how many studies exist out there that
demonstrate a person incubating Ebola is infective before they have "symptoms"
I have not seen nor do I know any of these speculative comments are fact and therefore, I choose to support the current response.
I encourage others to do the same because they need support and not doubt during this crisis.
Of course, my original point is still: The hospital missing the case the first time is not an accurate
demonstration of the US Public Health response to this event.
