You can’t turn on the news today, procrastinate on the BuzzFeed homepage, or even scroll through your Facebook or Twitter feeds without hearing about Ebola. Full disclosure: I was freaking out about Ebola this summer before it became “trendy” to worry about Ebola. To be honest, it reminds me of the episode of House where Foreman gets sick and they have to quarantine him because they don’t know what’s wrong with him. But I digress –
After a while panicking about the disease, I took to the all-knowing Google and did some research.
How does one get Ebola?
So it turns out, you can’t get Ebola unless you have direct contact with the bodily fluids or someone else that has it. Which means you can take off your face mask as you’re walking around campus – it’s not airborne.
Where did it come from?
Unless you’ve been hiding in your plastic bubble, you should know this one: West Africa, primarily Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. A Liberian national, Thomas Eric Duncan, hopped on a plane to Dallas, where he was treated at Dallas Health Presbyterian Hospital. Unfortunately, he died on October 8th, and consequently, two nurses – Nina Pham and Amber Vinson are being treated for the virus. When he arrived at the hospital on September 28, nurses were not wearing full hazmat suits. He was diagnosed with Ebola on September 30. As of October 21, people flying from Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea must travel to one of five U.S. airports in NYC, Newark, Chicago, DC, and Atlanta; as of October 22, Amber has been declared Ebola-free.
What is an Ebola czar?
Yes, an Ebola czar is a thing. No, this is not 20th century Russia. Ron Klain will be the behind the scenes guy that makes sure all decisions regarding the virus are carefully thought out and accounted for (we hope).
Am I going to get Ebola?
This is the question you’ve all been waiting for. The answer is no, you are not going to get Ebola. Only one person has died in the US thus far, and he wasn’t even an American citizen – no Americans have died from the virus. You have a higher chance of getting struck by lightning, winning the lottery, or getting As on all your final exams. Remember, Ebola is only spread through bodily contact with someone who is exhibiting symptoms. Now take a deep breath, stop worrying about it, and go focus on what you’re going to be for Halloween. Just don’t get the hazmat suit.