Ebola, Get Over It.

Jason Tougaw

Ebola. Did you shiver? I definitely did a little bit. But why are we Americans so afraid of Ebola? Who is Ebola really affecting? West Africans.

Want to know why we’re so afraid? Watch this 2-minute video: The Difference Between US and UK Ebola News Coverage (YouTube)

So what exactly is Ebola and what does it look like?

Lovely looking, isn’t it? A quick breakdown of Ebola:

  • It’s transmitted through human-to-human transmission: bodily fluids of infected people, animals, and surfaces that have come in contact with these fluids (broken skin, mucous membranes,
  • It is thought that fruit bats are hosts of the virus
  • The current outbreak is in West Africa, most abundant in: Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia

Symptoms include:

  • Fever fatigue
  • Muscle pain
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Rash
  • Symptoms of impaired kidney and liver function
  • Sometimes, internal and external bleeding
  • Low white blood cell and platelet counts (SCIENCE.)

Are you freaking out now because you’re coming down with a cold and have some of those symptoms? Don’t worry, you don’t have Ebola. What’s your problem? You’re paranoid.

Let’s look at the facts: there are less than 5 reported cases of Ebola in the United States, yes many people may have come in contact with the bodily fluids of the infected; however, I can assure you, our government wants an Ebola outbreak here as much as you do.

Have you traveled to Africa recently? I’m going to go out on a limb and assume the answer is no. So what are you worried about? As long as you are a relatively hygienic person: wash your hands and body regularly, you should be fine. Want to know the key to not getting Ebola? ABSTINENCE. Mean Girls was right: “if you have sex you will get pregnant and die” from coming in contact with bodily fluids of someone infected with Ebola. Are you not laughing yet?

Seriously, this is the part of the story where we all yell out: “first-world problems” when Americans are freaking out about an outbreak of Ebola when there are less than a handful of cases in the country. Basically what I’m telling all of you is: GET OVER IT.

Because you know who can’t get over it? The hundreds and thousands of people being affected in Western Africa. Not only do they have to deal with a virus that they are not equipped for, but they’re already the poorest and most underdeveloped country in the world. So instead of worrying about how you might become infected with Ebola, how about you spend a little more time and energy thinking about how you can make a small part in helping the people in Africa.

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT.

If you’re pre-med and want to become a pediatrician, maybe think about spending some time in a country in Africa: help the people who were not as lucky as you. The only thing that matters in life is what you do for the people around you: leave the world as you would want it.

If you’d like to get involved in efforts to control the outbreak of Ebola in Africa here’s where you can start:

  1. Doctors Without Borders: https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/onetime.cfm
  2. CDC Foundation: https://forms.logiforms.com/formdata/user_forms/9580_18629/78456/page1.html?cachebust=2035

GO FORTH. And don’t be this guy: