Ebola – This is For Real.

As we move into the next phase of the Ebola crisis, Ebola in America is a crisis, we are moving into the question of “do I really need to be concerned or is it another Avian Flu story”.  This is not Avian flu.  If you have read my least common denominator theory in prior daily sprouts, you understand where I come from in my opinion of public health decisions.  (brief discussion on that below)

The opinion that ALL of public health decisions are made in light of the weakest in our society, not the strongest.  Weak/Strong as it relates to our immune systems more than anything else.  Do you know that some people can map a virus so quickly, that they don’t ever have a symptom from a new exposure, compared to someone else who might be laid up for over a week from the very same virus?  This is heavily due to prior exposures, as well as the affinity of an immune system for mapping that type of protein shell.  I was fortunate in my chicken pox, in that I had one pock.  In other areas, I have not been so fortunate.  We are all unique, and in that uniqueness, the one thing we really want, is a Titanium immune system.

So, will a titanium immune system be enough for Ebola?  That is the question.  Can it be enough?  Well, lets take a look at this virus, and look at what it has been doing and figure it out.  The BBC news article on Ebola suggests it is the deadliest viral outbreak of our time… it is.  SO if it is so deadly in West Africa, will it be less deadly here?  I believe so, but still… if it is anywhere near as significant as what has happened there, it will be the worst thing to hit America…. ever.

This Graph – http://www.healthsprout.com/ebola-stats-september-2014/ shows the percentage of deaths to be roughly 50% of those infected.    Which suggests that we would be quite fortunate to keep our death rate of infected individuals to 10-20%.  Ebola is contracted through direct contact with bodily fluids of an infected person.  Because of the coughing and vomiting that occur with Ebola, there is plenty of expressed bodily fluid.  There are a few key points that help understand transmission.

First – people are not infectious until they are symptomatic, and incubation can take up to 21 days, or as few as two.  I like this illustration that is labeled as Ebola Virus replication, but in reality it is the method of all VIRAL replication.  The first time I heard a lecture on viral methodology, I likened it to the Borg and Captain Picard of Star Trek.  Take over, don’t kill, the cell… assimilation… resistance is futile.

Second – this virus was first discovered in 1976.  The world has been able to keep it under control for this long.  Please don’t panic, but, this is no Avian or Swine flu.  This is for real.  Those are manufactured for fear out of nothing.  Also remember, this is a virus.  There is no miracle treatment.  We don’t have any great drug to give you.  My recommendations below start with NOT getting it, but then being prepared if you do.

Next – consider the impact of the news that now that we have one dead Texan, we also have one diseased healthcare worker who helped that Texan :

Texas Reports Positive Test for Ebola in a Health Care Worker

On Friday October 10, a healthcare worker at Texas Presbyterian Hospital who provided care for the index patient reported a low grade fever and was referred for testing. The health care worker had been self-monitoring for fever and symptoms.

The hospital and patient were notified of the preliminary positive result. In addition, CDC has interviewed the patient to identify any contacts or potential exposures in the community.

The CDC and the Texas Department of State Health Services remain confident that wider spread in the community can be prevented with proper public health measures including ongoing contact tracing, health monitoring among those known to have been in contact with the index patient and immediate isolations if symptoms develop.

Ebola is spread through direct contact with bodily fluids of a sick person or exposure to objects such as needles that have been contaminated. The illness has an average 8-10 day incubation period (although it could be from 2 to 21 days) so CDC recommends monitoring exposed people for symptoms a complete 21 days.  People are not contagious during the incubation period, meaning before symptoms such as fever develop.

CDC tests results will be shared when confirmatory tests are done, following appropriate patient notification.  – http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2014/s1012-texas-health-care-worker.html

When around infected people, healthy people will get this virus.  It WILL happen, and it will kill.  We need to be prepared to NOT get it first and foremost.  The best ways not to get it:

1. No airplane travel, and not into areas where infection is showing up.  It is impossible for public health policies to track all contacts.  Of course if you need to fly, you need to fly.  But be wise.  Bring a mask in case there are people coughing in your vicinity.  As much as I NEVER EVER talk about hand sanitizers… shoot, I tell my kids to purposefully not sanitize.  But the reason I do, is so that they can have TITANIUM immune systems when they get around something like this.  I have been training their systems to MAP quickly, so that they can be prepared for something like this. But we certainly don’t want this test if we can avoid it.  Therefore be ready to act to protect yourself.  Its ok to be very precautious now.

2. If you enter an area where there has been a report of an infected person, avoid all individuals who display symptoms of sickness.  Coughing could be a very bad thing for you.  Act with caution.

3. Eat little or no sugar.  You want an immune system that rocks?  Stay away from the sugars.  Period.

4. Eat a diet rich in immune system boosting nutrients.  Green leafy vegetables, and variety of berries being careful not to overdo the fruit.  Supplement to keep the nutrients high, Juice Plus is a good start.

5. Sleep, rest.  Be sure to keep your immune system prepared.

6. Maintain your nervous system.  The value of an atlas adjustment is INCREDIBLE when considering the immune system.  If you have family that travel, now is the time to refer them in for care. Regular care to maintain their immune systems.

6.  BE RESPONSIBLE – if you go into an area where an infected person is known to be, and you come in contact with ANYBODY who is coughing, displaying cold symptoms.  Then consider yourself a risk.  Should you develop any symptoms of a cold within 21 days, then take yourself out of the population.  This is the way you stop a growing outbreak.

The least common denominator rule suggests that the public health care policies are driven to protect the weakest in our society.  My point for you, is that you should always consider that there is a difference between the strongest and the weakest.  If you want to be safe, keep yourself and your family on the strong side.  I think this is more important now, than ever before.

I don’t want to strike fear.  We can all beat this, but we need to be smart.  I just want to be sure that I do my part to help, and you do your part to be safe.  Be well and Be blessed – Dr. E