October 23, 2014 - Press coverage of every twist and turn in the Outbreak of Ebola just seems to feed the Outbreak of Fear.  But, amid the circus of agencies changing their stories, the television personalities expressing (often uninformed) opinions, and the images of people in space suits, we can find some useful information.

There were errors made in Dallas that are having ramifications, not just for the deceased patient, but for his Healthcare Workers.

However, in Atlanta, where three people with Ebola have been brought for care (two have recovered; one is still in the hospital), no Healthcare Workers have become ill.  It appears that they did everything right.

From these lessons, the Mariposa County Health Department has worked with John C. Fremont, Mercy Ambulance, County Fire, and Cal Fire to become prepared in the unlikely event of a patient with Ebola presenting here.  We are teaching ambulance and first responder personnel how to correctly and safely put on and remove personal protective equipment.  We have done the same at the hospital.  Additionally, the hospital has erected a tent, outside, where any suspect patient would be isolated.

There is another tent at the hospital which is a decontamination shower for the Healthcare Workers.  Equipment available for Healthcare Workers here exceeds the CDC recommendations.

Our goals are as follows: 

1. To recognize a suspected case immediately, so all appropriate protective measures can be taken.  Also, so that the suspect case is not discharged into the community with an erroneous diagnosis, thus exposing more people in the community.
2. To protect all Healthcare Workers and First Responders and their families.
3. To reduce the unnecessary paranoia and fear that event’s are stirring up. 

Ebola has a horrible death rate, but we know how to properly handle cases of it.  They did it in Atlanta.  We are training and equipping to do it in Mariposa, if necessary. 

The United States will never be 100% safe from this disease until the West African outbreak is under control.  Closing airports will not do it.  The outbreak needs to be stamped out in Africa. 

Meanwhile, we prepare to protect you, and the Healthcare Workers who treat the ill in Mariposa County.