TRP

TRP

Monday, August 4, 2014

Ebola? It Ends Like This?

Ebola is in the news a lot right now. Frankly, it's a bit overhyped. Ebola is a deadly virus, depending on the strain that is active. It could kill you in a very ugly way. However, it is not an easy virus to get. Trully airborne strains do not exist. You need direct bodily-fluid-to-bodily-fluid contact. That doesn't mean someone sneezing on you won't infect you. It's just not easy. Of course the worst part of ebola is its fast action. It can take just a few days from contact to full blown, life effecting symptoms. But this is also its limitation. If you are not in a large city with a major airport, your chances of contracting the virus are almost none existent (at least at this point). If you live in a populated area, simple precautions such as hand washing and avoiding symtomatic (sick) people will save you most of the time. The best book on the subject is still The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus I highly recommend this book if you want to understand the virus. Stay safe, but don't go crazy. Some minor protective gear wouldn't hurt, but I wouldn't hunker down just yet. TRP