General Discussion

Warren DeMontague

(80,708 posts)

114. Interesting.

Sun Sep 14, 2014, 06:41 PM

Sep 2014

I find viruses fascinating, I mean despite the fact that they make people sick. The way they sit right on the border between life and non-life (prions, of course, even moreso) ... I know scientists believe now that the first life was RNA based, quite likely. Whatever eventually became ebola and these other RNA viruses could be very, very, very old.

Well let's hope ebola hasn't- or doesn't- become any easier to spread among humans than it traditionally has been.

It's an extremely important story for all of us, and really there's no way to overreact in terms of the governments and people of the world throwing resources and assistance at it.

After this is all over, assuming it doesn't kill us all (or most of us) It is incumbent upon all of us to not leave these countries with these inadequate health systems. Leaving aside the humanitarian imperative, this situation highlights how dilapidated or nonexistent health infrastructure in poor countries can easily become ALL our problem.

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What We’re Afraid to Say About Ebola [View all] magical thyme Sep 2014 OP

It may become the new Black Death and alter society as it did in the 14th century. hobbit709 Sep 2014 #1

I seems to be shaping up that way doesn't it. laundry_queen Sep 2014 #2

As I recently heard said at a grocery store "It's only Nig***s getting it" LiberalArkie Sep 2014 #9

China could be the exception - if they get it trade would be interupted!!!!! jwirr Sep 2014 #12

Sadly, I suspect that's exactly it. calimary Sep 2014 #17

Yep. Disgraceful, awful....there aren't enough words. nt laundry_queen Sep 2014 #52

That is exactly the way people think about Ebola. Years ago when living in locdlib Sep 2014 #38

What store are you shopping at?! savalez Sep 2014 #40

Just a local grocery store over in the produce area. Small town, just a couple LiberalArkie Sep 2014 #56

where do you shop? n/t 1dogleft Sep 2014 #79

wow. I live in a multicultural district of a major Canadian city delrem Sep 2014 #80

may not say it.......but heaven05 Sep 2014 #91

no shock, no surprise heaven05 Sep 2014 #93

Is this verbatim what you heard? In Arkansas? Anansi1171 Sep 2014 #104

If I was still working for the phone company, I would probably hear it more. LiberalArkie Sep 2014 #105

Bless you, and interracial marriages are always so socially revealing. Anansi1171 Sep 2014 #106

I would not even make appearances at our local groups HQ and if I had to it was in and out. LiberalArkie Sep 2014 #107

I think that is true for Africa and possibly parts of Asia. morningfog Sep 2014 #51

Unless something truly bizarre, worthy of perhaps a comic book or bad horror novel, happens......... AverageJoe90 Sep 2014 #63

All it would take is a change in method of infection. hobbit709 Sep 2014 #65

I stand by my post. nt AverageJoe90 Sep 2014 #66

And I stand by mine. hobbit709 Sep 2014 #67

Ebola doesnt have DNA. Warren DeMontague Sep 2014 #84

Ebola jumped from piglets-->monkeys (possible airborne transmission) CoffeeCat Sep 2014 #97

Couple things. It's pretty well documented that when pigs get sick, they tend to do it in a very Warren DeMontague Sep 2014 #108

Great 1dogleft Sep 2014 #88

The Black Death became super deadly when it mutated and became pneumonic adigal Sep 2014 #77

We are all afraid to face the fact that that ebola could come to our own community. JDPriestly Sep 2014 #3

Spread homegirl Sep 2014 #32

Not to mention some of these wackos using ebola as a weapon. grahamhgreen Sep 2014 #44

Or the really smart ones who are no more wacko than we are <G> n/t jtuck004 Sep 2014 #50

Severed heads on catapults, like the dark ages? grahamhgreen Sep 2014 #53

We don't put them on pikes, we just burn and blow up innocent children and others. There is no diff jtuck004 Sep 2014 #54

not shocked, not surprised heaven05 Sep 2014 #95

It'd only spread to the West if we suddenly decide to become completely careless. AverageJoe90 Sep 2014 #64

Public restroomos. Hospitals. Grocery stores. JDPriestly Sep 2014 #99

Not only that... sendero Sep 2014 #89

Hal Rogers, Chairman of the House Appropriations committee slashed the Ebola budget to $40 million. greatlaurel Sep 2014 #4

but we're sending 5 ambulances and a 25-bed hospital... magical thyme Sep 2014 #6

Do you have a link for this? dumbcat Sep 2014 #8

I read a story and saw some pictures of it some where a month or so ago. LiberalArkie Sep 2014 #10

here you go. Angola's Chinese-built ghost town By Louise Redvers magical thyme Sep 2014 #11

Thank you both dumbcat Sep 2014 #14

what is the publicly stated purpose for those buildings though? VanillaRhapsody Sep 2014 #18

hmmmm heaven05 Sep 2014 #96

It's much more than one city and has nothing to do with concerns over surplus population IDemo Sep 2014 #19

"Vice" did an excellent segment on it. nt tblue37 Sep 2014 #26

sure, anything you say heaven05 Sep 2014 #98

I've had the same thoughts. silverweb Sep 2014 #47

Any epidemic is a boon to the GOP Turbineguy Sep 2014 #23

Just like when the gop house slashed embassy protection monies Iliyah Sep 2014 #27

Excellent points! greatlaurel Sep 2014 #59

Do you mean "million?" caraher Sep 2014 #28

Yes, you are correct. Sorry about that. Will edict to correct. greatlaurel Sep 2014 #33

You're welcome! caraher Sep 2014 #39

Need money for war, thanks. grahamhgreen Sep 2014 #45

I have said from the start that this issue is not getting enough attention. Moostache Sep 2014 #5

if only we could bomb it. nt magical thyme Sep 2014 #7

Well, that has scary implications... TeeYiYi Sep 2014 #13

The biggest problem with corrupt societies is that they don't work. Jerry442 Sep 2014 #16

You should do an OP about this issue. greatlaurel Sep 2014 #34

The one lesson history teaches is that hifiguy Sep 2014 #42

It has spread to Thailand Ex Lurker Sep 2014 #15

it doesn't say whether he's tested positive magical thyme Sep 2014 #20

I think if people start showing up infected after coming from from Nigeria Warren DeMontague Sep 2014 #92

Ugh...Ebola worries me more than ISIS DippyDem Sep 2014 #21

K&R for EXPOSURE! ReRe Sep 2014 #22

Very well said. greatlaurel Sep 2014 #31

Thanks for that phone number! n/t ReRe Sep 2014 #35

You are very welcome. greatlaurel Sep 2014 #36

K&R Hugin Sep 2014 #24

If anyone wants to see what a libertarian society would be like, all they have to do is look LiberalArkie Sep 2014 #25

This is probably appealing to about a third of the electorate. BlindTiresias Sep 2014 #37

Interesting article. Thanks for sharing..... paleotn Sep 2014 #29

this is an opinion piece by the Director of Infectious Disease Research & Policy magical thyme Sep 2014 #41

Regardless of what strain was used paleotn Sep 2014 #48

ok, I agreed with your disapproval of a single word in the article. so the strain mattered magical thyme Sep 2014 #57

Just wondering... defacto7 Sep 2014 #81

I would bet that, if there is a list of people who would get an Ebola vaccine first, Congress is on djean111 Sep 2014 #30

And the 1-2%ers Iliyah Sep 2014 #69

Kick. hifiguy Sep 2014 #43

Just hope you're immune when it comes through town. The Flu killed 20 million a hundred years ago. grahamhgreen Sep 2014 #46

"The Flu killed 20 million a hundred years ago." And that was mainly due to poor sanitation......... AverageJoe90 Sep 2014 #62

More like a 100 million and it was killing fit young people. hobbit709 Sep 2014 #68

Again, poor sanitation and lack of medical knowledge were among the primary reasons.... AverageJoe90 Sep 2014 #71

Keep telling yourself that. It may come true. hobbit709 Sep 2014 #74

The reason it killed young people was that all the older ones -- fifty and older -- SheilaT Sep 2014 #83

My concern is that Ebola becomes weaponized Generic Brad Sep 2014 #49

Too little, too late? locks Sep 2014 #55

Good reason as any to make all drugs legal. nt valerief Sep 2014 #58

Both possibilities are disturbing, but the second disturbs me more. NaturalHigh Sep 2014 #60

the first possibility is the more likely, and in fact Lagos already has ebola magical thyme Sep 2014 #72

Actually they've- so far- done a decent job of containing it in Lagos, given the circumstances. Warren DeMontague Sep 2014 #90

I'm sorry, but no. AverageJoe90 Sep 2014 #61

Hopefully it will be contained within the countries now affected with another hope Iliyah Sep 2014 #70

there are no approved ebola vaccines at this time magical thyme Sep 2014 #73

Health Workers Flee At General Hospital In Lagos magical thyme Sep 2014 #75

I have been following Mojorabbit Sep 2014 #76

Would that mean that other people were exposed during the week suffragette Sep 2014 #102

I believe so magical thyme Sep 2014 #109

Thanks. Good point about the continuum suffragette Sep 2014 #115

Odd how the show "The Last Ship" just finished its first season while this is happening. 7962 Sep 2014 #78

OMG! I loved that novel. SheilaT Sep 2014 #85

You're welcome! I didnt know there was a BOOK! Guess I should read the credits closer. 7962 Sep 2014 #101

Well, I watched about half of the first episode, SheilaT Sep 2014 #103

Let me start by saying that this ebola outbreak is something I've been worried about since April. Warren DeMontague Sep 2014 #82

the difference in survival rates is more likely due to treatment magical thyme Sep 2014 #110

Aeresols are one thing, real airborne transmission is another AFAIUI. Warren DeMontague Sep 2014 #112

Aerosolization is airborne transmission... magical thyme Sep 2014 #113

Interesting. Warren DeMontague Sep 2014 #114

This does seem to be a different outbreak of Ebola than the previous ones. SheilaT Sep 2014 #86

It's different primarily because in the past it broke out in remote villages magical thyme Sep 2014 #111

Since we are playing "what if"... McCamy Taylor Sep 2014 #87

What scares me are armageddonist types WANTING Ebola to be a fulfillment of prophesy.... Spitfire of ATJ Sep 2014 #94

. Strelnikov_ Sep 2014 #100