I heard basement drafts were the #1 cause of Ebola. Especially if you have wet hair.
I heard basement drafts were the #1 cause of Ebola. Especially if you have wet hair.
huh. I always thought it was electric fans in a closed room.
All I know is that I've had to close my new restaurant "Sidewalk Mucus and Feces" because of the Ebola scare. Thanks Obama, you're taking away jobs!
All I know is that I've had to close my new restaurant "Sidewalk Mucus and Feces" because of the Ebola scare. Thanks Obama, you're taking away jobs!
Well, as long as 'I'm Spitting Blood into Your Sandwich' still has its two Michelin Stars, I feel fine.
JC wrote:All I know is that I've had to close my new restaurant "Sidewalk Mucus and Feces" because of the Ebola scare. Thanks Obama, you're taking away jobs!
Well, as long as 'I'm Spitting Blood into Your Sandwich' still has its two Michelin Stars, I feel fine.
Wondering if I should try the new "No Handwashing" Liberian place. It is Zagat rated.
OG_slinger wrote:I heard basement drafts were the #1 cause of Ebola. Especially if you have wet hair.
huh. I always thought it was electric fans in a closed room.
Wow, I have never heard of that before.
In America and Europe there's the urban legend that cats steal breath while a person sleeps.
Funny enough, in the movie 1985 Cat's Eye, the parents are worried about the cat stealing the girl's breath (IIRC), but the cat saves her from the breath-stealing troll by killing the troll via literal fan death.
Funny enough, in the movie 1985 Cat's Eye, the parents are worried about the cat stealing the girl's breath (IIRC), but the cat saves her from the breath-stealing troll by killing the troll via literal fan death.
I loved that movie!
Well my doctor's robo-call to remind me of an appointment for my daughter was prefaced with "If you have visited Africa in the last 21 days, please call the office before coming in for an appointment".
Sensible precaution, or bandwagon-hopping nonsense?
EDIT - for reference, this is in North Seattle, not exactly a bastion of African immigrants.
It is stupid.
In 2013, 115 suspected rabies exposures were reported of which 91 occurred within the United States.
But they don't ask if you have been bitten in the last month by any animal.
And that is just one disease. There are thousands of diseases you could have but they don't ask about them
Actually I believe it is probably more PR than anything else. Just think if you are the next hospital to have a case - everything you have for procedures will be gone over with a fine tooth comb, every decision any staff made while seeing the patient, everything will be picked apart.
They want to ask so they can be prepared for the press, not for the disease.
I'd probably definitely rather have ebola than rabies.
I'd
probablydefinitely rather have ebola than rabies.
It's far better to have Ebola to undiagnosed rabies, but better to have diagnosed rabies than Ebola.
It is stupid.
In 2013, 115 suspected rabies exposures were reported of which 91 occurred within the United States.
I agree it's really stupid, especially so when someone isn't feeling sick. However your rabies comparison isn't really valid since there are no documented cases of humans transmitting rabies.
Edit: I broke a couple ribs 3 weeks ago and had to go through the whole rigmarole at the ER. They might be required to do it.
I agree it's really stupid, especially so when someone isn't feeling sick. However your rabies comparison isn't really valid since there are no documented cases of humans transmitting rabies.
That is some serious nitpicking. I like nitpicking and that is some fine nitpicking.
Do you really believe it would be that hard to find hundreds of diseases they don't routinely ask about exposure to when making an appointment at the doctor's office? Do they ask if you have been exposed to anyone with a know STD, or have you paid for sex any time in the last few years? STDs are often transmitted in ways similar to Ebola so does that make the example better for you?
Not nitpicking. The reason I was saying it isn't valid is because one puts the health care workers at risk while the other doesn't.
In the past when I have called in sick they always have asked if I have traveled recently so that is nothing new. I believe they asked about China specifically during the bird flu. What is silly in this case is that people are getting asked when not sick at all.
I'm surprised they didn't just re-phrase that to "When in jail, did you happen to drop any soap?"
Not nitpicking. The reason I was saying it isn't valid is because one puts the health care workers at risk while the other doesn't.
In the past when I have called in sick they always have asked if I have traveled recently so that is nothing new. I believe they asked about China specifically during the bird flu. What is silly in this case is that people are getting asked when not sick at all.
The original question was "Sensible precaution, or bandwagon-hopping nonsense?"
I picked a bad example but there are many other diseases they don't ask about which put health care workers at risk. I think even you would agree that it is bandwagon-hopping nonsense.
EvilDead wrote:I agree it's really stupid, especially so when someone isn't feeling sick. However your rabies comparison isn't really valid since there are no documented cases of humans transmitting rabies.
That is some serious nitpicking. I like nitpicking and that is some fine nitpicking.
Do you really believe it would be that hard to find hundreds of diseases they don't routinely ask about exposure to when making an appointment at the doctor's office? Do they ask if you have been exposed to anyone with a know STD, or have you paid for sex any time in the last few years? STDs are often transmitted in ways similar to Ebola so does that make the example better for you?
I just gave blood today (20 minutes ago actually). They added a page to their materials about Ebola, which I scoffed at. They do have several questions that they ask you relating to HIV (my favorite is "Are you a male that has spent more than 72 hours in jail", the fact that the Red Cross/CDC is basically saying "Yeah, by the third day the odds that someone in jail has been raped and given HIV is really not something we want to take a chance on" says... something about someone) Hepatitis, and other diseases, so they are a lot more comprehensive.
Just to be clear, Ebola wasn't added to their computer question list, just the packet of info they give you. But no, that packet doesn't give any special consideration to rabies, lyme disease, etc, etc.
Well yeah, I already wrote that it was stupid and silly. Also when someone is really sick they already have a question that covers the whole gamut of foreign born illnesses: "Have you traveled outside the country in past few months?"
Well yeah, I already wrote that it was stupid and silly. Also when someone is really sick they already have a question that covers the whole gamut of foreign born illnesses: "Have you traveled outside the country in past few months?"
I think, in the end, we both think it is silly to ask. It kind of depresses me because medicine as a practice should be about sound science not fear.
I used the Ebola map to show just how not-widespread it is to a group of students who asked about it today.
I guess people are still talking about it.
Well my doctor's robo-call to remind me of an appointment for my daughter was prefaced with "If you have visited Africa in the last 21 days, please call the office before coming in for an appointment".
Sensible precaution, or bandwagon-hopping nonsense?
EDIT - for reference, this is in North Seattle, not exactly a bastion of African immigrants.
Actually it is, (more toward Northgate and Lake City) but they're overwhelmingly from East Africa.
Sensible precaution, or bandwagon-hopping nonsense?
It's both a sensible precaution and a good sign that our public health infrastructure is working.
Doctors asking that question means that they've gotten direction from either their state health agency or the CDC (or both) to do so. It's a meaningless question for virtually everyone, but CDC epidemiologists are only looking out for the people who answer yes, and then answer yes to traveling to one of the countries where there's an active outbreak.
It's epidemiology 101: find out who's been exposed, isolate them, and then track down and isolate everyone they've been in contact with. If no one gets sick then all is well and if they do get sick then the outbreak is already contained.
Even if asking the question doesn't turn up anyone else who's sick, it's good public health practice for the next time there's a pandemic (something we're kinda overdue for).
Jonman wrote:Well my doctor's robo-call to remind me of an appointment for my daughter was prefaced with "If you have visited Africa in the last 21 days, please call the office before coming in for an appointment".
Sensible precaution, or bandwagon-hopping nonsense?
EDIT - for reference, this is in North Seattle, not exactly a bastion of African immigrants.
Actually it is, (more toward Northgate and Lake City) but they're overwhelmingly from East Africa.
I've learned something today!
Yeah, my doctor is right off the Northgate I-5 exit. I used to live west of there, and it was, well, as white as many swathes of Seattle are. Makes a little more sense if you're suggesting the epicenter is off to the east and LCW.
Do you also go to the UW Northgate Neighborhood Clinic?
Do you also go to the UW Northgate Neighborhood Clinic?
Nope, the (amusingly accurately named) Polyclinic.
Sorry, I know I'm kinda necroing this thread, but wanted to share that HumbleBundle is putting on a game jam called Games Against Ebola and all the proceeds go to DirectRelief to help with Ebola aid in west Africa. Seems like the Jam is based in Sweden, and both Mojang (Minecraft) and Coffee Stain Studios (Goat Simulator) are participating. Any donation amount gets you all the games the jam produces.
Good choice indeed! I had hoped that some combination of Ebola treaters would get the Nobel Peace prize this year, but the young woman who was chosen instead was a nice choice as well at least.
The World Health Organization reported today that the number of new Ebola cases has dropped to the lowest level since June of last year. Only 100 new cases were reported last week. WHO has declared that its response to the outbreak has moved into the second phase where the focus is no longer slowing transmission, but rather ending the epidemic.
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