Ebola: Don’t Panic!

Ebola Virus Structure

We’ve all heard of the Ebola pandemic. Now, with Ebola’s recent arrival in Dallas, many people are beginning to worry. But should we? The overwhelming consensus from experts is no, we shouldn’t be alarmed about an Ebola epidemic hitting the United States. There are several reasons why the situation in West Africa is unlikely to occur on our soil.

 First, America has a solid healthcare infrastructure. Unlike the hardest hit developing nations, the hospitals in the US have proper equipment to care for the people affected.

Second, unlike many of the infectious diseases we see today, Ebola is actually relatively difficult to transmit to other people. The virus is not airborne, so you cannot get the virus from simply being in proximity to someone sick (for instance, an airplane). To get Ebola, you would have to be in close contact with body fluids of someone infected.

Dallas Presbyterian hospital, the hospital where the first American Ebola case is being treated.

Third, Ebola is only transmittable when a person is symptomatic. Therefore, even if someone is infected, if they aren’t showing symptoms, you can’t get sick from them. Since the only people known to have Ebola in the States are in isolation, the virus is unlikely to spread.

CDC logo- the Center for Disease control stresses that Ebola is not something to be worried about. 

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have stated that they are confident that any cases of Ebola in the US should not be a cause for concern, but if you would like more information, you can read all about the virus and what is being done about it at www.cdc.gov/media.

Rhaya Johnson, Reporter