Ebola and EMS Responses
Ebola: EMS Considerations
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been at the forefront of America's response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. When two medical workers returned to the United States with Ebola, weaknesses in the precautions hospitals had in place were revealed (CDC, 2015a). This event resulted in increased scrutiny concerning how well prepared first responders are should they be confronted by a patient suspected of having contracted the disease. Accordingly, the CDC has issued detailed guidelines for first responders.
According to the most recent press release from the CDC (2015b), it is difficult for anyone coming into contact with a symptomatic person suffering from Ebola to contract the disease unless they have direct contact with blood, urine, saliva, vomit, sweat, and diarrhea. Even then, unless the person is suffering from severe Ebola the chances of contracting the disease is reduced; however, emergency medical services (EMS) personnel coming into contact with someone suspected of suffering from Ebola need to take special precautions. What follows is a general overview of these precautions and how implementation should be accomplished at the local level. Should the Ebola outbreak ever achieve pandemic proportions in the United States,...
What are Bacteria and Viruses? The most basic difference between bacteria and viruses is their size. Whereas both bacteria and viruses are too tiny to notice with the naked eye, most bacteria are about one micrometer in length and can be perceived with a good optical microscope. On the other hand, viruses are smaller than the wavelength of visible light, which suggests that they can only be perceived by using an
Media Influence in the BU Controversy Terrorist attacks using biological weapons, and also the threat of widespread viruses and illnesses have prompted the creation of research labs as preventive measures to deal with these types of possible future problems. These research labs which study some of the most harmful pathogens and viruses known to mankind are now present all over the world in places like Australia, Russia, South Africa, The U.K.,
Policy The state response to Ebola should be a coordinated communications effort. This will serve a number of purposes. First, it will maintain fiscal discipline. Second, communication is key to maintaining public order should there be an outbreak of Ebola. Third, communication helps to reduce the risk of an outbreak, because all members of our community will know how to avoid spreading Ebola. The recent revelations that the World Health Organization and
Consideration should be given to the development of a common form to be used by both law enforcement and epidemiology personnel. This form should allow the sharing of necessary information while protecting the confidentiality of victims (Department of Defense. 2000)." Criminal Investigation The criminal investigation is a critical step as it allows the law enforcement agencies and the health community to determine the cause of the attacks and the gravity of
Public Health Preparedness The concept of 'public health preparedness' (PHP) has been garnering recognition worldwide, given the global-scale threats which are constantly encountered by professional healthcare organizations, including bioterrorism, Ebola, the West Nile Virus, and influenza. Preparedness approaches have brought about improvements in the overall healthcare system, by enabling swifter responses to diverse kinds of hazards across the globe. A majority of PHP measures adopted in America are government-judged; this gives
Introduction The Threat of Biological Warfare by Homeland Security Biological warfare, also known as germ warfare, is the deliberate use of biological agents such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, or toxins to cause harm to people, animals, or plants. In recent years, there has been an increasing concern about the potential use of biological warfare by terrorist organizations or rogue states. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plays a crucial role in protecting
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