The CDC's big mistake re: Vinson's flight was its reaction to the media

[Yo_Mama]

23. I have been horrified at the dynamic here

The surge to blame the lowest person on the totem pole for all the failures of the ones on top ... I can't think it bodes well either for a successful disease response effort or for the cultural/political life of the nation.

The fact that so little distress is caused by seeing this play out in front of our eyes is even more distressing and confounding to me.

Many people on this site are willing to condemn the nurse for not ignoring the CDC's advice. I cannot think that's helpful, and truthfully, if she had ignored it and gone to another local hospital, the consequences might have been worse. So I do not necessarily trust the CDC for the implication that the advice was in error or given by an underling. I think by her second call that excuse is gone. I think they made a judgment call to which they are now not willing to confess.

The probability was that she just had a mild virus. Unless she had indeed contracted Ebola, the political optic of having an HCW walk into a hospital in other state saying "Put me in isolation and test me, I think I may have Ebola," would have been unfortunate. If she did have Ebola, then the chances that another hospital would have ensuing cases would be far MORE unfortunate. So I think the decision was made to quietly route her back to Dallas. Then when she tested positive and they decided they had to inform the passengers and airline, the media shit hit the fan and the nurse got hung out to dry.

Theoretically DU culture is feminist, science-based, willing to question authority, and in favor of unions. What I am seeing playing out here on this forum is exactly the opposite. If I have to read one more post by some jerk claiming that the hospital was at fault for not using Hazmat suits to take care of Duncan I think I'll scream. CDC's protocols were followed, as they now admit. Although those protocols have gotten a lot more detailed now, they still aren't mandating equipment that hospitals don't have. This is public information, yet everyone ignores it.

Of all the players in this most unfortunate national drama, it seems to me that right now the nurse's unions are forcing the best changes, i.e., they are most functional. Should that surprise DU? If change has to come from the bottom up, shouldn't we be helping that change along?