Time to “Tamp it Down”
Governor Deval Patrick and I finally agree on something. It
has taken almost 8 years but it is finally there. Can we please
“tamp” down the reports on the Ebola virus? This has literally
gotten to the point where I am not even turning my television on because that
is all I hear about. Since Gov. Patrick said those statements to a
reporter on Monday, the media is blasting him for not fully grasping the
urgency of the issue. He doesn’t understand the urgency??
has taken almost 8 years but it is finally there. Can we please
“tamp” down the reports on the Ebola virus? This has literally
gotten to the point where I am not even turning my television on because that
is all I hear about. Since Gov. Patrick said those statements to a
reporter on Monday, the media is blasting him for not fully grasping the
urgency of the issue. He doesn’t understand the urgency??
On Monday night, after Gov. Patrick made those
comments, Fox 25 News at 10 spent the first ten minutes of its broadcast on the
“scare” at Logan Airport where five passengers were removed from an
Emirates flight from Dubai by people in Haz-Mat suits because they were ill the
entire flight, roughly 14 hours. They were brought to a local hospital
and declared Ebola free, they had flu like symptoms. Two studio hosts, one
special reporter on set, one reporter at Logan and one reporter at the hospital
to report on 5 people that had the flu. They may as well park themselves
outside every public schools nurse’s office between now and March because Ebola
may spread like wildfire.
comments, Fox 25 News at 10 spent the first ten minutes of its broadcast on the
“scare” at Logan Airport where five passengers were removed from an
Emirates flight from Dubai by people in Haz-Mat suits because they were ill the
entire flight, roughly 14 hours. They were brought to a local hospital
and declared Ebola free, they had flu like symptoms. Two studio hosts, one
special reporter on set, one reporter at Logan and one reporter at the hospital
to report on 5 people that had the flu. They may as well park themselves
outside every public schools nurse’s office between now and March because Ebola
may spread like wildfire.
The Ebola virus is scary, no doubt.
I read the book “The Hot Zone” when it came out in 1995 and
watched the movie “Contagion” last year. It is real, it is
scary and people want to know more, I get it. But reporting about every
person who has the symptoms is a little overkill because it presents the same
symptoms as the common cold.
I read the book “The Hot Zone” when it came out in 1995 and
watched the movie “Contagion” last year. It is real, it is
scary and people want to know more, I get it. But reporting about every
person who has the symptoms is a little overkill because it presents the same
symptoms as the common cold.
Here are a few facts about Ebola that everyone
should know. I pulled these from WebMD and the CDC websites. It is no more contagious than any other cold, flu or
measles. It spreads through contact with skin or bodily fluids.
Ebola care takers are at an extremely high risk, for example the nurse in
Dallas who contracted the disease when tending to man who died from it.
You can’t get Ebola from air, water, or food. A person who has Ebola but
has no symptoms can’t spread the disease, either. Then there is the
customary touching of needles and contaminated surfaces. Symptoms are
fever, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, weakness, stomach pain, lack of
appetite and vomiting. If you already knew this, then stop watching the
news because they are not giving you any of this information
should know. I pulled these from WebMD and the CDC websites. It is no more contagious than any other cold, flu or
measles. It spreads through contact with skin or bodily fluids.
Ebola care takers are at an extremely high risk, for example the nurse in
Dallas who contracted the disease when tending to man who died from it.
You can’t get Ebola from air, water, or food. A person who has Ebola but
has no symptoms can’t spread the disease, either. Then there is the
customary touching of needles and contaminated surfaces. Symptoms are
fever, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, weakness, stomach pain, lack of
appetite and vomiting. If you already knew this, then stop watching the
news because they are not giving you any of this information
With cold and flu season upon us, it is
possible that this could get worse. I understand that the world we live
in now is that if they don’t report it, someone else will. Unfortunately,
that theory has led to the large amount of irresponsible reporting going on in
the world. Rapidity trumps certainties. Brevity is the key to good
communication, but it needs to be factual. In a story, with such a large
audience looking for answers, facts needs to trump speed.
possible that this could get worse. I understand that the world we live
in now is that if they don’t report it, someone else will. Unfortunately,
that theory has led to the large amount of irresponsible reporting going on in
the world. Rapidity trumps certainties. Brevity is the key to good
communication, but it needs to be factual. In a story, with such a large
audience looking for answers, facts needs to trump speed.
3D
If you don’t take it from me, ask my wife