New York and New Jersey governors announced that airport screenings would become much more strict and anyone returning from West Africa would be under quarantine for 21 days, sick or not. It takes anywhere from 2 to 21 days for Ebola symptoms to surface and if under quarantine and the symptoms do not show, that person is considered Ebola-free.
Some people believe this new policy is counterproductive. It lessens the chances of doctors going to West Africa to help the patients which would equal more deaths. The doctors also have less chance of being able to come back if they contract the disease because the people do not want Ebola spreading into America.
Analysis
In the early 1840's and 1850's, there was a surge of immigrants from Germany and Ireland. They wanted to settle West, to create a new life in America. Along the way, the pioneers were susceptible to disease because they were so exposed and they were in a new country. There was no medicine like there is now, so there was no way to help them but to hope that they get better. Being in a foreign place increases the risk of contracting a disease that there is no obvious cure for because it is a foreign sickness.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/24/health/ebola-travel-policy/index.html?hpt=us_c2
I think the base of the idea is smart, it keeps the disease from spreading to much in our country and also if these people show symptoms during quarantine we know how to treat them so they will recover. However, with the doctor's comment, since we now know we can cure ebola, we have done it several times, shouldn't we go help others who are dying? Even if it means traveling to Africa?
ReplyDeleteBut we can only cure it if the patient goes to the hospital soon enough, correct? If the patient doesn't receive medical attention quickly enough then the chances of them dying increase exponentially. So having a quarantine would not only be beneficial in keeping the disease from spreading, but also to help catch the disease sooner.
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