Ebola

In our century the Black Plague would have been talked to death.

We have the best doctors, nurses, medical care and training. Or do we? We've been talking about the Ebola scare for well over a month. Finally its long anticipated arrival has reached our population and still all we do is talk about it!

The NBC doctor and her henchmen violated their 'voluntary' quarantine. If a doctor cannot be trusted to protect other humans, who's left? And all we do is yak about the scandal.

Weeks ago President Clinton was asked by Jon Stewart what his thoughts were on the Ebola crisis. Because of Clinton's 'hands on' intimate knowledge with resuscitating Haiti, I expected him to have an immediate response that would quell this country's anxieties of catching this contagion. Imagine my disappointment when Clinton, with a broad smile on his lips, advised that conferences were scheduled to discuss strategies. End of topic. I knew then his feeble response meant death is coming. And it has.

Some time back the CDC had its funding cut. Four years ago The White House did away with travel restrictions in cases of pandemics. A short time ago Bill Gates contributed 50 million to emergency facilities that treat Ebola in West Africa. Mark Zuckerberg just woke up and cut a check for 25 million, but that was after he spent 100 million buying up land in Hawaii. Haven't heard if the Koch Brothers donated dimes but then again, if it's not in their political interest.....

The thing that haunts me is how could the staff in that Dallas emergency room have sent index patient number one home when he walked in complaining of a high fever and mentioned that, oh, by the way, I just flew in from Liberia. How could that have happened in our hyper media alert world? How could that happen?

Maybe we should look to Hollywood film directors and writers who know a thing or two about people dropping like flies from scary viruses...let them have a say on to eradicate an invasive, intangible repugnance. Or we can turn to the many authors who have written recent books about the impending health crisis. Clearly these people had the insight necessary to prepare ourselves and even with their talking book tours, nobody listened. Oh well, it's too late now. The real, non-fiction, ultimate health terror is really here and its concentric circles of contact will continue to fester and grow.

Our last revelation at rescue may come out of Wall Street and the effect Ebola is having on market prices. At least stock and bond traders don't wait around talking about fixing problems. They've got too much at stake.