Public opinion about national or international crises, concerning political, economic or health issues, is often shaped accurately or inaccurately by the news media. The recent Ebola epidemic affecting West African countries such as Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea among others is a case in point. In his recent article “Six Reasons to Panic,” published in The Weekly Standard, Jonathan Last observes that perhaps the panic alert portrayed in the media should not be taken lightly.1 He cites six reasons to support his assertion. These reasons are summarized below.
The first reason the author cites is that knowledge of how the disease is transmitted is not solid. Officials from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and other government agencies claim that Ebola is not airborne and that the disease can only be transmitted by direct contact with bodily fluids from an infected person who already experiences the symptoms of the disease. The author points out that this may not be true, since the current strain of Ebola may have a different transmission mechanism. Even if Ebola is not airborne now, it may become so because viruses are constantly mutating. The second reason he cites is that Ebola has a very high infection rate. Epidemiologists measure this rate using the reproduction number “RO,” which gives the number of new infections each infected person causes. When RO is greater than 1, the virus is spreading through a population. In September the World Health Organization estimated the RO in Guinea to be at 1.71 and 2.02 in Sierra Leone. Thirdly, the author points to the possibility of using Ebola as a biological terrorist weapon in the United States. The fourth reason for concern is that health infrastructures are falling apart under current Ebola transmission rates because physical and human resources do not grow proportionally. The fifth reason for panic cited by the author is that given the high transmission rate of the disease the virus may leak to other countries, bringing about political, economic and humanitarian crises. Finally, the author mentions that political aims may get in the way of sound decision-making to control this epidemic. For example he claims that Ebola has the potential to shake Americans’ attitude toward immigration. Ultimately, the author blames elite health institutions for not taking the outbreak seriously when it first started.
It is possible to find evidence to support or refute the arguments advanced in Last’s article. The high infection rate of Ebola is perhaps the most important concerns raised in the article. The West African countries where the Ebola outbreak has occurred are quite poor and lack the health infrastructure necessary to provide the basic care necessary to contain the epidemic.2 Furthermore, the cultural practices in these countries of washing and touching the dead before burying them significantly increases the transmission rate. The fact that people are afraid to report to hospitals when they fall ill only exacerbates the problem.3
Dr. Anthony Fauci, longtime director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, points out that the most powerful tool against the outbreak is basic medical care. The main concern should be to provide sick people in the affected countries with basic medical support, such as replacement fluids and blood. In his opinion, this basic medical care would have a much bigger effect than experimental medications.4 Unfortunately, Last’s fourth reason for panic is the fact that the health system infrastructures in the affected countries are crumbling even with the assistance of international organizations. In contrast to West African countries, the American medical system is much better prepared to contain the Ebola virus as long as it remains non-airborne. Doctors have the appropriate facilities to isolate infected patients and the know-how to protect health care providers.5 Nevertheless, in spite of this technological edge, health care providers in the United States and in European countries such as Spain contracted the disease, reinforcing Last’s concern for the dangerousness of the virus.
Jonathan Last has reasons to be concerned about the catastrophic consequences of Ebola. Both, Marcola and Last point to the fact that the CDC has tried to reassure the general public about the unlikelihood of an Ebola outbreak in the United States while downplaying its own negligence concerning the accidental release of dangerous pathogens.6 Last is correct when he points out that instilling fear among the general public may lead to dangerous decisions such as banning travel to and from infected countries or placing healthy people on quarantine. A measure of reasonable fear will go a long way in helping the general public remain alert about the developments of the Ebola epidemic.
Notes
1Jonathan, Last. "Six Reasons to Panic." The Weekly Standard. N.p., 27 Oct. 2014. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. <http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/six-reasons-panic_816387.html?page=1>.
2 Shah, Anup. "Ebola Outbreak in West Africa." Ebola Outbreak in West Africa. Global Issues, 27 Sept. 2014. Web, 12 Nov. 2014. <http://www.globalissues.org/article/804/ebola>.
3 Fofana, Lansana. "Hopes of Controlling Sierra Leone's Ebola Outbreak Remain Grim." Hopes of Controlling Sierra Leon's Ebola Outbreak Remain Grim. Global Issues, 6 Nov. 2014. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. <http://www.globalissues.org/news/2014/11/06/20270>.
4 Karen Weintraub, "Fauci: New Drugs Not the Best Answer for Ebola." Fauci: New Drugs Not the Best Answer for Ebola. USA Today, 6 Aug. 2014. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. <http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/06/fauci-ebola-drugs/13672605/>.
5 Dr. Joseph Marcola, "Should You Worry About an Ebola Outbreak in the U.S.?" Marcola.com. N.p., Aug.-Sept. 2014. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/08/19/ebola-outbreak.aspx#_edn32>.
6Last, 2014; Marcola, 2014
Works Cited
Anup Shah,. "Ebola Outbreak in West Africa." Ebola Outbreak in West Africa. Global Issues, 27 Sept. 2014. Web, 12 Nov. 2014. <http://www.globalissues.org/article/804/ebola>.
Lansana Fofana, "Hopes of Controlling Sierra Leone's Ebola Outbreak Remain Grim." Hopes of Controlling Sierra Leon's Ebola Outbreak Remain Grim. Global Issues, 6 Nov. 2014. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. <http://www.globalissues.org/news/2014/11/06/20270>.
Last Jonathan. "Six Reasons to Panic." The Weekly Standard. N.p., 27 Oct. 2014. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. <http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/six-reasons- panic_816387.html?page=1>.
Marcola, Joseph, Dr. "Should You Worry About an Ebola Outbreak in the U.S.?" Marcola.com. N.p., Aug.-Sept. 2014. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/08/19/ebola- outbreak.aspx#_edn32>.
Weintraub, Karen. "Fauci: New Drugs Not the Best Answer for Ebola." Fauci: New Drugs Not the Best Answer for Ebola. USA Today, 6 Aug. 2014. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. <http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/06/fauci-ebola-drugs/13672605/>.
