Staying Safe: How to Avoid the Ebola Virus

My mother contacted me Wednesday in a panic because my father flew on an airplane sometime in the last few weeks.  She needs to fly on a plane three weeks from now and was considering purchasing special clothing, a respirator, and gloves to take with her.  She's even considering wearing gloves in public.  My response to her is that while yes, you can never be too careful, there is a point where your fearful precautionary measures do nothing but serve to fuel the fire of mass hysteria that is sweeping the country.

The problem currently facing my city is the Ebola-infected nurse who visited before returning to Texas and testing positive for the disease.  While initial reports from the Center for Disease Control have all been very clear in stating that she was not experiencing symptoms during her stay in the area and therefore could not have transmitted the disease to anyone, there has still been an overpowering and terror-stricken response from news media that has caused the Rubber City to dive into an absolute uproar.  My social media pages are exploding with Ebola-talk, be it jokes and sarcasm, tired facts, or straight cold fear.  In public places, people can be overheard discussing the disease left and right, many of them perpetuating myths about the virus and wondering whether they should quarantine themselves like friends and neighbors have.

While certainly a 21 day quarantine of all potentially affected areas would be the absolute best way to swiftly contain and eliminate the problem, this is quite obviously not a practical measure.  Additionally, because of the increased awareness and better health and sanitation practices that the United States has, not only is it impractical but probably rather unnecessary.  Yes, a couple of people in our country are currently infected with the Ebola virus.  Yes, a few people are going to become infected.  Yes, it is possible that someone you know will become infected.  The difference between the current 90% mortality rate in Africa and any projections of Ebola mortality we will see in the United States should be clear: healthcare and sanitation.  We will not see the infection and mortality rates that Western Africa has, because as a fact we have a better healthcare system, we have significantly better sanitation practices, and it is not common cultural practice for us to publicly the bodies of the dead, regardless of condition.

That all being said, it is still cold and flu season in addition to it being Ebola season, so taking basic healthy measures is a good idea and will help to protect you both from Ebola and other things that might be around in your general environment.

Hand Washing

Just as with anything that "goes around" at this time of year, good hand washing practices and use of hand sanitizer are a good start at protecting yourself from possible infection of Ebola.  We have been able to determine that the virus can remain alive in dried body fluids on a surface for several hours, and if kept in body fluids at room temperature can live for several, possibly up to six days.

While we don't need to be quite as vigilant as Filbert, he does lay a good groundwork both for laymen and healthcare workers.  If you come into contact with a frequently touched public surface such as a door handle, counter top, gas pump, money, etc, it is a good idea to wash your hands or (usually the more practical option) use a hand sanitizer afterwards.  Do so before rubbing your eyes, toileting, or eating.  Not sure you're doing it right?  Check out this infographic from the World Health Organization:

If that all seems intimidating, just remember, use soap and warm to hot water, sing the Happy Birthday Song to yourself 2-3 times, rinse, and dry.  

Hand sanitizer is a good substitute for hand washing if it is inconvenient to wash wherever you are.  I recommend purchasing a sanitizer with aloe or lotion in it so that your hands aren't dried out if you're frequently using it.  Our office uses Purell with Aloe Vera.

Protective Equipment

I will cover this in a future post more fully, but if you must come in contact with someone's body fluids other than your own, wear appropriate protective equipment.  For most of us, that means latex or nitrile gloves to be disposed of in an appropriate manner (ie not thrown on the floor for other people to contact) along with whatever you've been contacting the fluids with.

If you are in a situation where someone might sneeze or cough on your face, you can don a mask that covers your nose, mouth, and chin, and secures behind the head.  If being coughed on or sneezed on is an actual danger for you, also consider a face shield as the Ebola virus can enter the body through your mucosal membranes - if you get snot in your eye, the virus can wiggle in through there!

By this time, healthcare workers regardless of profession have probably been provided with PPE at their work sites, including gloves, masks, face shields, and gowns.  If you haven't had a training session to put these on and take them off, refer to the future post regarding donning and doffing PPE for healthcare workers and ask your office manager to show you.

Needle and Sharps Safety

Injectable drug users both medical and recreational, frequent receivers of tattoos and piercings, and cutters/self harmers this one is for you!  As an American 9th grader any time after 1985, you probably heard about blood borne pathogens in health class, though whether or not you were paying attention is a different story.  We should all already be aware of the dangers of sharing needles or sharps with other people - HIV, hepatitis, etc.  Ebola is another pathogen that travels by blood, and can easily enter your body on a dirty needle or blade.

If you are injecting drugs, legal or not, always use a clean needle.  They are not expensive and can be purchased online - even Amazon has them.  Same goes for cutters and chronic self harmers - do not share blades or use a dirty or questionable blade.  These are also inexpensive, come in sterilizable and disposable versions, and once again can be purchased online (like at Amazon) with no questions asked.

If you're being tattooed or pierced, always but especially in infection "hot" areas, do some research first.  Don't get a tattoo from your brother's friend's sister's uncle's cell mate from the state prison in someones's dirty kitchen.  Shop around, find a clean, certified parlor, and always watch your artist or piercer open the sterile needle bag before starting your procedure.

Use Protection!

You know what I mean - a condom or a dental dam, especially when engaging in sexual activity with a new or unfamiliar partner.  Like it or not, Ebola virus can move through vaginal and seminal fluids, and additionally there is always the possibility of bleeding during both hetero- and homosexual intercourse.  Wah wah wah you don't want to use a condom - in the post-AIDS crisis world that we live in, it is a solid fact that you should be using protection if you're with multiple or new partners anyhow.  Don't be gross.  If you contract Ebola... or gonorrhea or whatever, from being an idiot and engaging in unsafe sexual intercourse then you were asking for it.

Fully Cook All Meats

While this particular item isn't yet a danger for infected countries outside of West Africa, it potentially could be in the future.  Ebola virus can be contracted through consumption of meat of a carrier or infected animal, like the bats that are a common part of the diet for many people in certain parts of Africa.  For now, try to avoid eating people who have been infected with Ebola virus.

If You Think You've Been Infected

If you think that you've honestly been exposed, call a doctor.  Calmly explain the situation of your potential exposure, including date, place, nature of the exposure, and whether or not you are currently showing symptoms.  They will direct you how to proceed from there.

Above all? Stay calm.  (And always know where your towel is!)