The CDC is doing its best to quell the fears that Ebola is causing in the country. Their main objectives are to treat the infected patient, isolate those who came in contact with him, and to stifle the potential for any mass hysteria within the public.
Why You’re On a “Need to Know Basis” With the CDC
It seems the CDC has not been very forthcoming on providing pertinent up-to-date Ebola information to the public, leading many to believe we are on a “need to know” basis. They have even gone so far as to change Ebola transmission pages on their CDC website. The headlines are running rampant with contradicting information that experts and the CDC has provided, thus leading to even more mistrust in those handling this complex issue.[amazon asin=B0049S9HJO&template=*lrc ad (right)]
What the CDC has failed to realize is with the right information, they can equip the public with the knowledge needed to make an informed decision; and one that will reduce the risk of Ebola spreading throughout a community. To give this emergency organization credit, they have the best of intentions, but the difficulty lies in their ability to apply theory to large-scale population densities. The issue has always been to prevent pandemonium.
That said, the CDC isn’t the only agency to blame in this mishap. Thanks to the carelessness at the hospital level, more individuals have possibly been exposed to Ebola. According to oneparamedic in Dallas, neither he or anyone else was told that the ambulance they were driving was the same one used to transport Ebola patient, Thomas Duncan to the hospital. Disaster teams were notified months ago of an upcoming high risk event, but to no avail. As well, federal guidelines published in August advised someone in Duncan’s condition and who was known to be in West Africa to be placed in isolation and tested for Ebola. Instead, the patient, was given a [amazon asin=B002UFLQ60&template=*lrc ad (right)]prescription for antibiotics and sent home. This issue is now being blamed on a faulty record-keeping system by the hospital and could result in a federal investigation.
“It’s a teachable moment, as we say,” Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said during a Thursday press conference in response to the errors that have occurred in the handling of patient zero.
Mr. Frieden, you cannot afford to make a mistake. There is Ebola wild in a community and could easily be spread to other cities and communities. If the CDC is unable to get a grasp on the situation, with each day unfolding, they are gambling with the possibility of a civil disintegration such as those that we witnessed in Liberia.
Agence France-Presse: Ebola-hit Liberia staring into the abyss, experts warn.
“With its collapsed health service, sick and poorly equipped security forces, and broken economy, Ebola-hit Liberia [amazon asin=B000URGFQG&template=*lrc ad (right)]finds itself on the brink of complete societal breakdown, experts warn…” (Bastian, 9/30).
Washington Post: Ebola-stricken Liberia is descending into economic hell, “Liberia, the West African nation hardest hit by Ebola, has begun a frightening descent into economic hell.
… The basic necessities of survival in Liberia — food, transportation, work, money, help from the government — are rapidly being depleted, according to recent reports by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank…” (Barbash, 9/30).
A Breakdown Could Be On the Horizon
No country is immune to civil unrest when the right conditions are met. Breakdowns in local infrastructure due to a spreading virus [amazon asin=B007UZNS5W&template=*lrc ad (right)]could play a leading role in creating a perfect storm for a breakdown.
- Challenges or shutdowns of business commerce
- Breakdown of our basic infrastructure: communications, mass transportation, supply chains
- Payroll service interruptions
- Staffing shortages in hospitals and medical clinics
- Interruptions in public facilities – Schools, workplaces may close, and public gatherings such as sporting events or worship services may close temporarily.
If this insidious virus spreads to other areas of the country, supply chains will not want to deliver groceries due to being in an infection zone. Moreover, hospitals will soon be overwhelmed in handling the ill coming through the door, or may run out of supplies and/or vaccine. In such case, the ill could be sent to Ebola quarantine centers or back to their homes to wait in isolation. Those that cannot [amazon asin=B0094DJ3XO&template=*lrc ad (right)]get access to medical care or do not have the supplies in place to survive an extended quarantine will group together to quickly create civil disorder.
Riot Erupts Over Ebola Quarantine In Liberia
Nearly 60 wounded in Guinea Ebola riots
In an article written on the Anatomy of a Breakdown, the author writes, “As preppers are well aware, when the needs of the population cannot be met in an allotted time frame, a phenomena occurs and the mindset shifts in people. They begin to act without thinking and respond to changes in their environment in an emotionally-based manner, thus leading to chaos, instability and a breakdown in our social paradigm.”[amazon asin=B00FZYTUY8&template=*lrc ad (right)]
Phase 1: The Warning
Phase 2: Shock and Awe
Phase 3: The Breakdown
Phase 4: The Recovery
If we were to apply the phases of the breakdown to the Ebola crises, the initial warning phase occurred months ago, when the infected doctors were taken to Atlanta, Georgia. This was the beginning moments of the disaster where many saw the concern and began making preparations for the possibility of Ebola coming to America. We are currently in Phase 2: The Shock and Awe where the community is in a confused state reacting to the events unfolding. If this disaster is not handled more delicately, we will be entering the breakdown phase. Once the breakdown phase ensues, martial law will be enforced.
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