As of the other day, a 2nd American nurse has contracted Ebola after caring for the unfortunate Liberian man, Thomas Eric Duncan. Regardless of how it happened, or how likely it is that the virus will continue to spread in the USA & Europe, there have been enough recent cases in both regions to raise the risk of Ebola affecting those of us who live outside of West Africa. We Bodyrockers are a global group. Unfortunately some of us may face off with the b!tch...it's too bad we can't just do some extra jump rope to ward it off.
Here is a collection of resources to help you increase your chance of staying healthy if Ebola shows up in your hometown. I’m not an expert by any means, so the below information is all sourced from experts.
Step 1 – Don’t catch it. Below are the CDC’s guidelines on how to prevent Ebola infection:
- Wash hands frequently or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid contact with blood and body fluids of any person, particularly someone who is sick.
- Do not handle items that may have come in contact with an infected person’s blood or body fluids.
- Do not touch the body of someone who has died from Ebola.
- Do not touch bats and nonhuman primates or their blood and fluids and do not touch or eat raw meat prepared from these animals.
- Avoid hospitals in West Africa where Ebola patients are being treated. The U.S. Embassy or consulate is often able to provide advice on medical facilities.
- Seek medical care immediately if you develop fever (temperature of 100.4°F/ 38.0°C or higher) and any of the other following symptoms: headache, muscle pain, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, or unexplained bruising or bleeding.
- Limit your contact with other people until and when you go to the doctor. Do not travel anywhere else besides a healthcare facility.
Step 2 – How to disinfect Ebola-contaminated areas
Here is a pdf with very detailed instructions about appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), cleaning agents, and precautions to take if you must clean up Ebola, courtesy of OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration)
If you really want to be prepared, you can
purchase PPE on amazon (I’m not joking!)
Step 3 – Know the symptoms, and what do if you or someone else are exhibiting them.
Here are the symptoms, straight from the CDC:
- Fever (greater than 38.6°C or 101.5°F)
- Severe headache
- Muscle pain
- Weakness
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal (stomach) pain
- Unexplained hemorrhage (bleeding or bruising)
Also from the CDC:
Symptoms may appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days after exposure to Ebola, but the average is 8 to 10 days. Recovery from Ebola depends on good supportive clinical care and the patient’s immune response. People who recover from Ebola infection develop antibodies that last for at least 10 years.
...So if you have symptoms?
Seek medical attention immediately if you experience the above symptoms. If you are symptomatic & know you were exposed to Ebola, you should isolate yourself & call for medical help rather than go out and potentially expose others.
Here is the
Wikipedia Ebola breakdown, for just about everything you could want to know about it.
Sources:
CDC - http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/qa.html
OSHA - https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA_FS-3756.pdf
Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebola_virus_disease
