Ebola letters: Who is responsible for the outbreak of fear?

In this Thursday, Oct. 16, 2014, photo released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Coast Guard Health Technician Nathan Wallenmeyer, left, and CBP supervisor Sam Ko conduct prescreening measures on a passenger, right, who arrived from Sierra Leone at O'Hare International Airport's Terminal 5 in Chicago. (AP Photo/U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Melissa Maraj)

Spread hope, not fear

Nina Pham and Amber Vinson need support from the place they call home more than ever right now. They selflessly did their job to the best of their training and abilities to care for Thomas Eric Duncan the way they would care for any other patient that walked into the facility.

The fear in Dallas right now is not encouraging hope for these women or any other potentially at-risk individual but adding to the problem at hand. The fact that West Africa is essentially ground zero for this often fatal condition is something we all need to keep in mind.

We need to be cautious without adding discrimination and give these people something to hope for: a better, caring piece of humanity that we all have the potential to be. Instead of fearing to be the next victim, consider donating for research to find treatment or cure for this terrible virus. All of us must keep the true victims of this illness in their minds and their hearts at this time of need.

Susannah Beverly, Dallas

When nurse Nina Pham was found to have contracted Ebola it appeared that Presbyterian hospital’s approach to protective clothing wear was not uniform. Now a second nurse who treated Duncan has contracted Ebola.

She was infectious after returning by air from a family visit in Cleveland. This air travel constituted another “breach of protocol” by potentially exposing many, many more people to the Ebola virus. Was she instructed not to fly? Was there anyone at the hospital who assumed responsibility to make sure that CDC guidance was mandatory, not optional?

As a retired military officer my observation is that no one was in charge. Doctors, it seems, rule by consensus rather than by fiat.

Was there any one leader at Presbyterian who directed all staff in how they were to interact with patients and their fellow workers; how they were to follow CDC guidance about wearing protective clothing and that during the 21-day self-monitoring period, staff would certainly NOT be allowed to travel anywhere on public transportation?

My answer is a decided “no” because if there had been someone in charge, policies and procedures would have been crystal clear, complete, concise and mandatory.

The infection of nurse Pham and now nurse Vinson and potentially many more people in Dallas and Cleveland might have been absolutely avoided. The first question in any investigation should be “Who was in charge?”

Michael Morawey, North Dallas

There was clearly no “protocol” breached at Dallas’ Presbyterian Hospital because the CDC had not instructed hospitals other than with occasional fliers about the deadliest virus currently on the planet. In my opinion, that minimalist approach did not and does not constitute a protocol.

It was only a matter of time before this virus hit the U.S., and for the CDC not to have better prepared U.S. medical personnel is actually a breach of something called just plain common sense.

I believe heads need to roll at the CDC (the director, please) and at Presbyterian Hospital, too.

When the survival rate of most Ebola health care workers is 50 percent in the undeveloped world, that doesn’t mean it goes to zero in the developed world. Why weren’t those health care workers being monitored more closely?

Further, should there be legal consequences for breaking the rules as the latest victim did? Using public transportation with a fever and history with patient No. 1 should qualify as a criminal act.

Arrogance will cost lives, as will permissiveness in this freewheeling society. This story continues to disturb, and now all the talk about quashing the fear factor seems naive and out of step with the reality.

Nancy Sanders, Dallas

Dallas has received global criticism for our response to the first Ebola patient and subsequent isolation techniques. We now stand as the citadel to our continent. Our local leadership has been “spot on” in their actions to contain Ebola. However, we must prepare for an epidemic situation. The genie is out of the bottle, and this will require extraordinary efforts to respond to this contagion. The Centers for Disease Control, a government agency, has responded promptly to this rapidly evolving situation.

Our conservative politicians have excoriated government intervention into health issues. They have refused billions of dollars needed to fund Medicaid and other much needed programs. The governor and state legislators have exerted extraordinary measures and resources to deny health care to millions of deserving fellow Texans. Our Texas senators and representatives have demonized and fought Obamacare.

Now is the time for the governor to call an extra session of the Legislature (as was done to enact anti-abortion laws) to confront the issues that are germane to our real crisis, Ebola. Ask your local and state politicians how they feel about government intervention into our health crisis. As for me, I would trust CDC over Perry and Cruz.

Dr. Robert Prince, Far North Dallas

Re: “Airport fever checks give Obama breathing room on Ebola,” Sunday news story.

There is a big difference between “travel ban” and “quarantine.” The first stops any and all transfers between two points, the second delays arrivals.

If you want to travel from the U.S. to West Africa, knock yourself out. If you want to send a boxcar of supplies to West Africa, do so, and there are no restrictions. However, if you want to travel from West Africa to the U.S. I think you should quarantined for a specified period of time.

If at the end of the time you are symptom-free, then you will be allowed into the U.S. to mingle with the general population.

Seems like a reasonable precaution to me.

Catherine Taylor, Dallas

Americans have long enjoyed the belief that being surrounded by two oceans distanced them from the diseases, political turmoil and wars rampant in other countries.

Thanks to Thomas Duncan we now know the truth. For that I am thankful. Just as we gave up many personal liberties after the 2001 assault on our country, protocols for community health and safety will change the way we live in a post-Ebola environment.

Criticism abounds in Dallas’ handling of the health threat, but I commend the response and wonder what would have happened had Mr. Duncan chosen a less-populated area without the same health care and security resources.

Responsible citizens must be prepared to give some more for the sake of community health and safety.

The CDC recommends using facilities with practiced expertise in the care of infectious patients. This follows the logic used to quash the polio epidemic. This type of care requires special training, equipment and mental toughness. Our national security demands flawless management of this crisis.

Cynthia Stock, Garland