Ask HN: What would you do in case of a large Ebola outbreak?

Re:Ask HN: What would you do in case of a large Ebola outbreak? by Udo on Wednesday July 30, 2014 @02:39PM (#8110139)

Well, the infectiousness of Ebola specifically is questionable. In essence, there is good reason to believe the virus won't be able to spread far outside the areas where it already proved to be successful. So if you're in the EU or the US, even large parts of Asia, you're probably safe.

But that doesn't mean a mutated strain could potentially befall the whole world. The same goes for the more terrifying types of the flu. There is always the potential for a deadly and extremely contagious pathogen to develop.

So what to do in a pandemic situation? I'm hesitant to admit it, but basically the survivalists have it right: hole up somewhere off the beaten path and avoid all outside contact, that potentially includes all kinds of animals like birds and livestock. Then you'll have to wait until a vaccine is developed. If a vaccine is feasible.

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Re:Ask HN: What would you do in case of a large Ebola outbreak? by frigg on Thursday July 31, 2014 @04:28AM (#8113015)

>So if you're in the EU or the US, even large parts of Asia, you're probably safe.

Well, Germany announced that it accepted a patient with Ebola.[1] I guess it's not completely out of the question now?

Wouldn't it make more sense to go where the virus is and not bring it home?

[1] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/109...

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Re:Ask HN: What would you do in case of a large Ebola outbreak? by Udo on Thursday July 31, 2014 @04:32AM (#8113030)

That's not what I mean. Researchers in all countries get infected with these things all the time, too. But it's questionable whether Ebola specifically can take hold in the northern countries at all.

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Re:Ask HN: What would you do in case of a large Ebola outbreak? by tetha on Wednesday July 30, 2014 @04:41PM (#8110813)

Only thing I am missing here: Become realistic. You will need to make decisions. Some of your decisions might kill you. Some of your decisions might save you. Some of your decisions might seem scary and end up with no impact. Some of your decisions might look beneficial and end up with no impact.

At some point, you have to act upon instinct and that's fine. And in the case of a serious pandemic, we'll all die or end up in the stone age within 5 - 10 years anyway.

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Re:Ask HN: What would you do in case of a large Ebola outbreak? by noir_lord on Wednesday July 30, 2014 @06:17PM (#8111307)

1918 - Spanish Flu killed 50-100 million people (hard to count accurately back then especially on the back of a world war) at the time 3-5% of the population, it was a horrible mutation that attacked the young and strong as well as the old and weak.

The chance of that happening is remote in any particularly decade the chance of something worse that would "put us back to the stone age" happening is incredibly unlikely.

Hell Europe survived the black death and by some counts that took out a third of the population of some countries.

It's not sunshine and flowers but it's not a world ender either.

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Re:Ask HN: What would you do in case of a large Ebola outbreak? by dllthomas on Wednesday July 30, 2014 @03:22PM (#8110360)

Limiting contact to limit spread is hugely important, but that has to be weighed against maintaining support for those working on vaccines, treatments, and cures.

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