EBOLA OPPORTUNISTS

In the wake of the Ebola crisis, plenty of predators are looking to capitalize on people’s fears. Safeguarding is one thing; being played a fool and taken for a ride is a whole other story. Beware of people promising quick fixes and fail‑safe protections from Ebola. Many of these have cropped up in recent months, including a purported Dr. Rima Laibow, who warns that Ebola amounts to a genocide and that she has something the public can buy to protect them.

About these so‑called healers and their miracle cures, Better Business Bureau President Claire Rosenzweig says that the BBB and other agencies have received complaints about some natural products, such as a dietary supplement powder containing a fruit called garcinia cambogia, and an organic substance called monolaurin. Rosenzweig states, “They know that there’s fear. They know there is anxiety.” She adds, “All they’re doing is getting you to catch the bait so they can hook you into buying their product.”

With regards to protective gear, no affordable gear is fully safe when it comes to the advanced Ebola case. CIDRAP states that respirator masks (otherwise known as N95 masks) may be acceptable for the early stages of the disease. The complicating issue is that the quantity of virus in a late‑stage patient may be so high that it penetrates the mask, which is designed to block 95 percent of particles above 0.5 microns in size (an N100 respirator masks blocks 99.7 percent, but is 15 times more costly). For advanced stages of the disease, a full hood with a powered air‑purifying respirator (PAPR) is needed. These can cost $1,000 each, although some elements are reusable.

When you take into account all the items your outfit would include, it is prohibitively expensive to have all the personal protection equipment needed for care of the Ebola patient from first symptoms to recovery, especially when you consider that you might need to change several times a day. This consideration is a strong argument for my earlier assertion that Ebola patients must be transferred to high‑level hospitals as soon as possible.

Having said all this, many items will give some protection and are worthy of consideration for handling various infectious disease issues. In the next chapter, we’ll talk about these items and how they fit in your sick room supplies.

NOW YOU KNOW…

The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones against Ebola is to be proactive with preventative measures. Guidelines exist for travelers to West Africa from organizations involved in containing the epidemic. In addition to washing your hands and using hand sanitizer, be careful where you travel and who you encounter.

Try to get involved in organizations working to prevent the spread of Ebola, and if none exist that fit the bill, consider starting one of your own. Donate money, if you can, to advance Ebola research or to send supplies to epidemic areas.

Above all, use your head. There are no quick cures when it comes to Ebola. Be skeptical if anyone promises you there are.