US troops to fight Ebola Virus.

[ginman]

Call me crazy, but when I was in the military we fought enemy soldiers not contagious disease in Africa. I can't understand putting 3000 soldiers at risk of getting a fatal disease in Africa. I'm in favor of no boots on the ground on this one!

 

[Black Irish]

Call me crazy, but when I was in the military we fought enemy soldiers not contagious disease in Africa. I can't understand putting 3000 soldiers at risk of getting a fatal disease in Africa. I'm in favor of no boots on the ground on this one!

I agree. This is a medical and health problem, not a military issue.

 

[dublinirish]

Call me crazy, but when I was in the military we fought enemy soldiers not contagious disease in Africa. I can't understand putting 3000 soldiers at risk of getting a fatal disease in Africa. I'm in favor of no boots on the ground on this one!

would you rather fight to contain it in west africa or on US soil?

 

[dublinirish]

I agree. This is a medical and health problem, not a military issue.

Military engineers have the expertise to build the centers that are required.

 

[ginman]

Military engineers have the expertise to build the centers that are required.

How about sending "volunteer" experts and utilizing UN or African troops?

 

[dublinirish]

How about sending "volunteer" experts and utilizing UN or African troops?

Cuba and China have already sent such teams to Sierra Leone but Liberia is America's baby so to speak so I guess they wanted to bring in troops to protect and organize their own teams

 

[ginman]

Cuba and China have already sent such teams to Sierra Leone but Liberia is America's baby so to speak so I guess they wanted to bring in troops to protect and organize their own teams

And China has huge economic interests in Africa. How many soldiers did they send. I can't find that anywhere in an extensive 1 minute google search.

 

[dublinirish]

And China has huge economic interests in Africa. How many soldiers did they send. I can't find that anywhere in an extensive 1 minute google search.

the WHO asked for medical personnel which the Chinese sent. Obama choose to send military personnel with experience in controlling such outbreaks. He obviously felt they were the best guys for the job

 

[Whiskeyjack]

To be fair, this outbreak poses a much more serious threat to America than ISIS does. Though whether or not certain military personnel are the most effective agents to address this problem is not a question I'm qualified to answer.

 

[irish1958]

To be fair, this outbreak poses a much more serious threat to America than ISIS does. Though whether or not certain military personnel are the most effective agents to address this problem is not a question I'm qualified to answer.

Exactly. This epidemic is out of control and could potentially cause hundreds of thousands of lives or even millions of lives. It is reminiscent of the influenza epidemic after the First World War in its potential. Just a handful of cases would overwhelm our ability to care for the afflicted in the USA, let alone in the rest of the world.

 

[CanadianIrishFan306]

Ebola couldn't survive in North America. Its a very ugly disease when dying from it but its tough to contract. If it was airborne I would be worried but I have read the chances of it every becoming airborne are extremely low.

 

[irish1958]

Ebola couldn't survive in North America. Its a very ugly disease when dying from it but its tough to contract. If it was airborne I would be worried but I have read the chances of it every becoming airborne are extremely low.

I wish this were true. In fact, Ebola is airborne, transmitted by droplets of human effluence. Since symptoms of the disease include vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, hemorrhage, etc. there is easy transmission especially in crowded slums. In any event we will soon find out as it has been introduced into several African cities in the slum areas. There is no vaccine and no effective treatment at this time. The only control quarantine. Good luck with that in Africa.
Aids is not easily transmitted but has caused over 40 million deaths worldwide and before it is over will probably cause more than ten times that number.

 

[bkess8]

Just wondering how much more this is going to cost our government. I have a lot of opinions and questions but this is one of my concerns. Thoughts?

 

[woolybug25]

I wish this were true. In fact, Ebola is airborne, transmitted by droplets of human effluence. Since symptoms of the disease include vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, hemorrhage, etc. there is easy transmission especially in crowded slums. In any event we will soon find out as it has been introduced into several African cities in the slum areas. There is no vaccine and no effective treatment at this time. The only control quarantine. Good luck with that in Africa.
Aids is not easily transmitted but has caused over 40 million deaths worldwide and before it is over will probably cause more than ten times that number.

Link? I have never read an article, and I have read a ton on this issue, where they said ebola was airborne. If it were, we would have a major world-wide disaster on our hands. That would definitely be something we would have to throw our military at.

Pretty much everything you wrote is factually incorrect. Do some research before you spout off nonsense like this.

Fact or Fiction?: The Ebola Virus Will Go Airborne - Scientific American

Ebola Fast Facts - CNN.com

WHO | Ebola virus disease

 

[Cackalacky]

You guys clearly never learned any lessons from the X-files.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

And to clarify my post above, I don't believe Ebola to be a serious threat to America. Just that we're currently throwing our military might against even smaller threats, like ISIS.

 

[Quinntastic]

I wish this were true. In fact, Ebola is airborne, transmitted by droplets of human effluence. Since symptoms of the disease include vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, hemorrhage, etc. there is easy transmission especially in crowded slums. In any event we will soon find out as it has been introduced into several African cities in the slum areas. There is no vaccine and no effective treatment at this time. The only control quarantine. Good luck with that in Africa.
Aids is not easily transmitted but has caused over 40 million deaths worldwide and before it is over will probably cause more than ten times that number.

wooly already poked several well researched holes into your comments, but I also wanted to go on the record to say that a vaccine is currently in the works, and there is an effective treatment, ZMapp, at this time - just not commercially available, well researched, or FDA approved.

An Ebola vaccine was given to 10 volunteers, and there are ‘no red flags’ yet - The Washington Post

Questions and Answers on Experimental Treatments and Vaccines for Ebola | Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever | CDC

 

[irish1958]

Wolleybug25
Thank you for your measured and polite correction of my ignorant and unresearched remarks.
I did, however, serve as the chairman of my hospital's infection control committee for a number of years. In our ignorance we considered, as do most infectious disease experts, any transmission of disease particles via body fluid effluence through the air as airborne. Respiratory transmission is one such method. Another might be explosive diarrhea. A third might be expelling blood from various body openings, including the lungs due to a pulmonary hemorrhage.
In addition many airborne diseases are not respiratory. Two such examples would be histoplasmosis and hantavirus infection.
I will admit that if the Ebola virus figures out a way to transmit like the influenza virus does, we will have an even worse disaster on our hands. This is extremely unlikely because the present transmission is so effective and overwhelming this mutation is almost impossible to happen. (Note, I said almost.)
As with the case, when technical medical terms are dumbed down for lay publications and consumption some clarity is lost.
Ebola scares the hell out of me, as did aids some 40 years and 40,000,000 and counting deaths ago.

 

[Quinntastic]

Wolleybug25
Thank you for your measured and polite correction of my ignorant and unresearched remarks.
I did, however, serve as the chairman of my hospital's infection control committee for a number of years. In our ignorance we considered, as do most infectious disease experts, any transmission of disease particles via body fluid effluence through the air as airborne. Respiratory transmission is one such method. Another might be explosive diarrhea. A third might be expelling blood from various body openings, including the lungs due to a pulmonary hemorrhage.
In addition many airborne diseases are not respiratory. Two such examples would be histoplasmosis and hantavirus infection.
I will admit that if the Ebola virus figures out a way to transmit like the influenza virus does, we will have an even worse disaster on our hands. This is extremely unlikely because the present transmission is so effective and overwhelming this mutation is almost impossible to happen. (Note, I said almost.)
As with the case, when technical medical terms are dumbed down for lay publications and consumption some clarity is lost.
Ebola scares the hell out of me, as did aids some 40 years and 40,000,000 and counting deaths ago.

What are your credentials? MD with infectious disease specialty? RN?

 

[pkt77242]

wooly already poked several well researched holes into your comments, but I also wanted to go on the record to say that a vaccine is currently in the works, and there is an effective treatment, ZMapp, at this time - just not commercially available, well researched, or FDA approved.

An Ebola vaccine was given to 10 volunteers, and there are ‘no red flags’ yet - The Washington Post

Questions and Answers on Experimental Treatments and Vaccines for Ebola | Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever | CDC

We currently have zero Zmapp and it takes four to six months to make. Yes there might (it hasn't been proven in any large scale studies, thus might) be an effective treatment but it takes a long time to make and if the number of patients starts to take off it would be extremely difficult to mass produce. 4-6 months is a Hell of a long time if this starts to get out of control. Also while a Vaccine is in the works it just had it's first human trial so we still don't know how safe it is in humans, though the early returns on the first 10 to receive it is positive.

U.S. seeks to speed up production of Ebola drug - LA Times

An Ebola vaccine was given to 10 volunteers, and there are ‘no red flags’ yet - The Washington Post

 

[johnnycando]

This is a Rosicrucean plot to infect the US with the fatal and contagious disease.

 

[irish1958]

What are your credentials? MD with infectious disease specialty? RN?

Premed at ND, MD Cincinnati Medical school, Residency in Pediatrics Cincinnati Childrens Hospital, Chief Resident Cincinnati Childrens Hospital and Cincinnati General Hospital, chief of Pediatrics USAF Hospital, Loring Air Force Base, board certified in Pediatrics, Fellow American Academy of Pediatrics, private practice of Pediatrics Welborn Clinic and Hospital, several years chairman if the infection control committee Welborn Hospital, Volunteer (i.e, unpaid) Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Indiana School of Medicine, department of Pediatrics. Instructor in Pediatrics USI-IU Medical School, Evansville IN. Currently retired
I have not had an infectious disease fellowship, but I had a large referral practice and about 25% of my practice was in infectious diseases (of children).

 

[FLDomer]

Premed at ND, MD Cincinnati Medical school, Residency in Pediatrics Cincinnati Childrens Hospital, Chief Resident Cincinnati Childrens Hospital and Cincinnati General Hospital, chief of Pediatrics USAF Hospital, Loring Air Force Base, board certified in Pediatrics, Fellow American Academy of Pediatrics, private practice of Pediatrics Welborn Clinic and Hospital, several years chairman if the infection control committee Welborn Hospital, Volunteer (i.e, unpaid) Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Indiana School of Medicine, department of Pediatrics. Instructor in Pediatrics USI-IU Medical School, Evansville IN. Currently retired
I have not had an infectious disease fellowship, but I had a large referral practice and about 25% of my practice was in infectious diseases (of children).

I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.....sooo yeah

 

[ginman]

Just wondering how much more this is going to cost our government. I have a lot of opinions and questions but this is one of my concerns. Thoughts?

Well the UN says a billion dollars is needed, so I'm guessing the initial US cost will be in the range of 950 million. I just hope we don't see our military men and women infected.

 

[peoriairish]

irish1958 to wooly...

 

[GoIrish41]

Premed at ND, MD Cincinnati Medical school, Residency in Pediatrics Cincinnati Childrens Hospital, Chief Resident Cincinnati Childrens Hospital and Cincinnati General Hospital, chief of Pediatrics USAF Hospital, Loring Air Force Base, board certified in Pediatrics, Fellow American Academy of Pediatrics, private practice of Pediatrics Welborn Clinic and Hospital, several years chairman if the infection control committee Welborn Hospital, Volunteer (i.e, unpaid) Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Indiana School of Medicine, department of Pediatrics. Instructor in Pediatrics USI-IU Medical School, Evansville IN. Currently retired
I have not had an infectious disease fellowship, but I had a large referral practice and about 25% of my practice was in infectious diseases (of children).

That'll do. LOL

 

[Quinntastic]

That'll do. LOL

Ditto that.

 

[Cackalacky]

He had me at explosive diarrhea.

 

[Booslum31]

Premed at ND, MD Cincinnati Medical school, Residency in Pediatrics Cincinnati Childrens Hospital, Chief Resident Cincinnati Childrens Hospital and Cincinnati General Hospital, chief of Pediatrics USAF Hospital, Loring Air Force Base, board certified in Pediatrics, Fellow American Academy of Pediatrics, private practice of Pediatrics Welborn Clinic and Hospital, several years chairman if the infection control committee Welborn Hospital, Volunteer (i.e, unpaid) Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Indiana School of Medicine, department of Pediatrics. Instructor in Pediatrics USI-IU Medical School, Evansville IN. Currently retired
I have not had an infectious disease fellowship, but I had a large referral practice and about 25% of my practice was in infectious diseases (of children).

Well all-righty then. You remind me that I've done shit with my life.

 

[BobD]

Call me crazy, but when I was in the military we fought enemy soldiers not contagious disease in Africa. I can't understand putting 3000 soldiers at risk of getting a fatal disease in Africa. I'm in favor of no boots on the ground on this one!

How about sending "volunteer" experts and utilizing UN or African troops?

Hopefully people will start to realize the significance of the situation. Committing these troops isn't something done on a whim. This is a very dangerous situation that we need to help get under control.

Every soldier going over there is a volunteer.