Ebola: Can we trust the government?

By: The VNN Team  //  Uncategorized

by Editorial Staff

Ebola has been making the headlines ever since the first case on American soil was confirmed. The news has sparked fear and anger and rightly so. Ever since the government announced the presence of the dreaded disease there has been nothing short of a comedy of errors–errors that have the potential to put others in harms way.

But not to worry, the government tells us. They have everything under control. Of course they do, because historically we always learn of the major faux pas after the fact.

It all began with Thomas Duncan, the man who had contact with a woman afflicted with Ebola who subsequently died, and days later hopped a plane from Liberia to America.  It’s been reported that Duncan lied on his departure screening documents. Why wouldn’t he? It’s obvious he wouldn’t get out of Liberia had he told the truth. That alone has left American’s speculating Duncan’s reasoning for lying. Did he fear for his life and want to come to this country knowing he’d get much better health care than he would in Liberia? Did he intend to sicken others? Or did he really come to see him family not knowing his exposure to an Ebola sufferer could cross over to himself? These answers won’t be known until, and if, Duncan recovers.

Duncan purportedly made it through airport screening showing no fever but as one news commentary noted, how is it known that he, or anyone else for that matter, didn’t take a fever reducer before leaving for the airport? Advil can knock down fevers pretty quickly.

Next we have the hospital mix up that resulted in the Ebola-stricken Duncan to be sent home only to return two days later as well as the late cleanup of contaminated bed linens in the apartment where he was staying and where those who had contact with him were forced to stay. Yet, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and all those other agencies involved tell us not to worry–they have everything under control.

Those living in the apartment where Duncan was staying had to be put under court order and police watch so they would comply with the quarantine, the media reported. Apparently, they hadn’t been complying.  They will face criminal charges if they violate the order so it’s safe to assume they won’t be out mingling with the public. Now those inside have been moved to another “undisclosed” location, still under court order and police watch.

The government has reported that Duncan had known contact with at least 100 persons while possibly contaminated. For a man visiting the United States for the first time, he sure had contact with a lot of people, something else American’s are questioning.

Liberia has said they will criminally prosecute Duncan for lying on his departure forms. As for many Americans, if you can gauge the pulse of the public by Internet comments, there’s a lot of support for Liberia’s stance. There’s even a Facebook page calling for Duncan to be deported.

Just as Americans were reassured Duncan was an isolated case, two more suspected cases have been reported. Politicians on both sides of the aisle have called for a travel ban from Ebola-stricken countries but the White House won’t hear of it. Those in charge say it would be counterproductive to restrict travel. Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal said it best– it defies logic.

The White House claims they are “very confident” they can stop the spread of Ebola. The American people, and many of those they elect to represent them, aren’t as confident.