Atlanta hospital receives hate mail for treating aid workers stricken by Ebola

[The Watcher]

Atlanta hospital receives hate mail for treating aid workers stricken by Ebola

The Atlanta hospital treating one of the US aid workers stricken with the Ebola virus, and preparing to receive a second, has appealed to the public to show compassion, after receiving “nasty emails” asking why the patients were allowed back into the country.

Emory University Hospital is expecting the arrival of Nancy Writebol early next week. She will be treated in a specially equipped isolation unit alongside one occupied by Dr Kent Brantly who arrived over the weekend.

Officials there are striving to reassure nervous members of the public that the aid workers’ presence in the city did not imply a risk of an Ebola outbreak on US soil.


“I hope our understandable fear of the unfamiliar does not trump our compassion when ill Americans return to the US for care,” said Dr Tom Frieden, director of the US Centres for Disease Control (CDC), also based in Atlanta. He noted the agency had received some “nasty emails” and about 100 calls from people questioning why the sick aid workers should be let into the US.

More:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...a-9645199.html

[Summerthyme]

They think it's bad now- you can only imagine it if even one other person gets sick because of this rather bone headed stunt...

Summerthyme

[dissimulo]

Fear is an ugly thing. Aid workers helping to try to stamp out the brushfires in Africa might be the only thing standing between us and a global outbreak. There is certainly a risk to bringing them home, but what is the risk that we incur by sending the message that anyone who gets sick is on their own?

[chicom]

It's because of the utter incompetence by government in other arenas that engenders skepticism within the public regarding public welfare in this serious matter.

Too many oops in the past make this issue worrisome.

[saulteux]

It's because of the utter incompetence by government in other arenas that engenders skepticism within the public regarding public welfare in this serious matter.

Too many oops in the past make this issue worrisome.

Yep.

[hunybee]

It's because of the utter incompetence by government in other arenas that engenders skepticism within the public regarding public welfare in this serious matter.

Too many oops in the past make this issue worrisome.

the fact that chicom did not respond in his normal manner to this should unsettle at least a few.

[Godwit]

I know some of the people at Samaritan's Purse, and am proud of them for standing up for their own in this situation

[saulteux]

the fact that chicom did not respond in his normal manner to this should unsettle at least a few.

I noticed that, too. He's not one to "feed into the drama".

[Homesteader]

Fear is an ugly thing. Aid workers helping to try to stamp out the brushfires in Africa might be the only thing standing between us and a global outbreak. There is certainly a risk to bringing them home, but what is the risk that we incur by sending the message that anyone who gets sick is on their own?

Exactly.

If this was my family member, I would want them to be able to come home and have the best care possible.

Now obviously, I would want this done in a safe manner that would not endanger others. But if there is a way to do this, we should do our best for them.

[breezy]

the fact that chicom did not respond in his normal manner to this should unsettle at least a few.

I was having that same thought.