It didn't take long for that paranoia to set in!

[otakuneko]

Fun Fact #1: Hand Sanitiser doesn't work against viruses, only certain chemicals do that (& we use those on our ambulances) or good old fashioned soap and water.

I um... guess I should stop just using hand sanitizer. >.>

[siskaren]

EDIT: Oh, forgot to ask. Why are people panicking about Ebola?

Because it has a high rate of mortality and there's no licensed specific treatment or vaccine. The thing is though is that outbreaks are pretty much confined to Central and West Africa, near rain forests, and can only be contracted through contact with bodily fluids or secretions from infected animals or humans. So for the vast majority of people, there's no possibility of contracting it.

[nutraxfornerves]

If anyone would like more details, I'm maintaining an Ebola thread on a travel web site culled from expert sources. Ebola & Lassa Fever - W.Africa

[thehuckster]

Fun Fact #1: Hand Sanitiser doesn't work against viruses, only certain chemicals do that (& we use those on our ambulances) or good old fashioned soap and water.

Actually, hand sanitizer works against certain viruses (such as those with a lipid envelope). Cold and flu viruses are among those. They won't work against viruses or bacteria which doesn't have an alcohol-based envelope (such as stomach flu and many other gastrointestinal viruses) but some more heavy duty wipes, such as Clorox wipes, might help against them.

WebMD

Heck, I suspect outbreaks are going to get worse because people are being "too" clean. Like how bacteria is becoming resistant to antibiotics because of the over-prescribing of antibiotics. (why prescribe antibiotics for the flu? The flu is caused by viruses.)

It's important to note that soap and water, and other cleaning methods will not cause superviruses. Soap and water, bleach, and hand santizers are not "antibiotics" (They could be considered disinfectants which is different).

Antibiotics (like penicillin) are something viruses and bacteria can quickly evolve or adapt to make their behaviors ineffective against them. There's nothing a virus or bacterium can do quickly enough to make itself "immune" to the caustic nature of bleach, soap, or alcohol. It's the equivalent of expecting humans to adapt to the abusive environment of Venus in a few years.

[Argabarga]

or if he takes the opportunity mid-shake to vomit directly into your face.

Considering how proper etiquette has taken a nosedive in recent years, that's probably not as unlikely as you think...

And I was working in a doctor's office around the time 9-11 happened... the next day, panicked idiots came in and demanded they be vaccinated against anthrax..... I'll let you spot all the problems with that demand.... there's quite a few.

[Deserted]

It's the equivalent of expecting humans to adapt to the abusive environment of Venus in a few years.

W-wait... are.... are you saying...?

And I was working in a doctor's office around the time 9-11 happened... the next day, panicked idiots came in and demanded they be vaccinated against anthrax..... I'll let you spot all the problems with that demand.... there's quite a few.

When I was in the navy (mid-90's), the crew of my ship was vaccinated against anthrax, involuntarily. (Well... "voluntarily", meaning "'volunteer' for the vaccine or 'volunteer' for the brig".)

[NecessaryCatharsis]

Because it has a high rate of mortality ...

Also there was a news story recently about an American (yes, only one) being allowed to come back to states (to a hospital) even though they have ebola. So, "it's in the country, run for your lives!!!" (I'm assuming the OP is in America)

[AccountingDrone]

When I was in the navy (mid-90's), the crew of my ship was vaccinated against anthrax, involuntarily. (Well... "voluntarily", meaning "'volunteer' for the vaccine or 'volunteer' for the brig".)

That happened to Rob, he was not particularly happy about it.

And I used to joke that my hazmat job was training for the space program. My machine shop was locate between the chlorine shop and the ammonia shop, and I regularly had calls to deal with leaking cylinders of any gas you can fill and sell, and regular drums and leaking 'mystery drums' - I have been phosgene gassed *twice*, gassed by chlorine to the point of hospitalization at least 5 times, ammonia probably 8 or 9 times. I know for a fact that I can get into a gas mask in 14 seconds flat, and I can take a breath, close my eyes and walk 300 feet across a particular warehouse and get into a scott airpack without dying.

[fireheart]

EDIT: Oh, forgot to ask. Why are people panicking about Ebola?

To add onto the previous response, there's also the fear of migration (ie those people who are NOT from Central/West Africa travelling back home and spreading it).

Also there was a news story recently about an American (yes, only one) being allowed to come back to states (to a hospital) even though they have ebola. So, "it's in the country, run for your lives!!!" (I'm assuming the OP is in America)

I heard it was 2 people. And they were being transported back in "bubbles".

CRML is in the UK.

[Ellain]

Also there was a news story recently about an American (yes, only one) being allowed to come back to states (to a hospital) even though they have ebola. So, "it's in the country, run for your lives!!!" (I'm assuming the OP is in America)

The special plane was only equipped to transport one patient at a time; they will be going back for the second. The 2 patients are going to a freestanding hospital unit in Atlanta that is specially set up for highly infectious diseases. Both are undergoing experimental treatments. One is being treated with a new medication that has seen good results in monkeys, but there wasn't enough to treat them both. The other has received a blood transfusion from a boy who survived the disease.

[MoonCat]

Oh, yeah, anthrax...

Back when some idiot was mailing white powder to newspapers, the place I work received an envelope in the mail that had white powder in it. The guy who opened it (in the mailroom) did everything he was supposed to do to minimize the chances of spreading the stuff around (including showering on premises; there's a shower for the pressroom staff) and was prescribed Cipro by his doctor just in case, but it turned out to be a false alarm.

However, I remember a co-worker talking about how freaked out she was that he was allowed to come back to work before they had determined what the powder was. I pointed out that anthrax wasn't actually all that easy to catch, and she said something like, "Well, that's what they say, but I don't believe it." I was just

[Estil]

What about all that filthy money he got in change?

Which might even have traces of cocaine all over it (as I saw on a newsmagazine years ago)!

[PastryGal]

OP's post made me think of this right away

http://onthegrindcomic.com/comic/bat.../#.U94m_mOQx8E

[Sapphire Silk]

Also there was a news story recently about an American (yes, only one) being allowed to come back to states (to a hospital) even though they have ebola. So, "it's in the country, run for your lives!!!" (I'm assuming the OP is in America)

Yes, they did come back. To a hospital with a specialty isolation unit designed specifically for the CDC, which is nearby, in case they have an accidental exposure there.

Oh, yeah, anthrax...

Back when some idiot was mailing white powder to newspapers, the place I work received an envelope in the mail that had white powder in it. <snip>

However, I remember a co-worker talking about how freaked out she was that he was allowed to come back to work before they had determined what the powder was. <snip>

Ugh. I remember this. We got all kinds of nuts in the ER claiming someone had mailed them white powder. None of them actually brought it into the ER, thank god, or we would have had to shut down the entire department. But we had to call the cops every time.

Every time, it turned out to be baking soda

[AmbrosiaWriter]

It's important to note that soap and water, and other cleaning methods will not cause superviruses. Soap and water, bleach, and hand santizers are not "antibiotics" (They could be considered disinfectants which is different).

Antibiotics (like penicillin) are something viruses and bacteria can quickly evolve or adapt to make their behaviors ineffective against them. There's nothing a virus or bacterium can do quickly enough to make itself "immune" to the caustic nature of bleach, soap, or alcohol. It's the equivalent of expecting humans to adapt to the abusive environment of Venus in a few years.

I don't think it's the worry of bacteria evolving into super bugs due to sanitizing too frequently. I think it's the idea that these chemicals cannot destroy 100% of bacteria on surfaces, and so the ones that are strong enough to resist the purge suddenly have no competition and can multiply that much faster. Therefore, you get super bugs taking over areas that used to be covered with more benign bacteria that one killed off using sanitizers too much.

Either that, or it's the worry that by over sanitizing, we are weakening our own immune systems due to not being exposed to the bacteria that exist around us all the time.

Honestly, I just use good old fashioned soap (not anti-bacterial) and hot water. I rarely get sick, so I'm going to keep doing what I do.