Basic Facts Regarding Ebola Protection

By Christa Jarvis


Ebola is spread through contact with body fluids of persons that have been infected. These include blood, vomit, saliva and even sweat. So far, no vaccine is available to confer Ebola protection in humans. To protect yourself from being infected, you need to avoid coming into contact with these fluids. This means that you keep away from persons that have been infected unless you have personal protective equipment.

Personal protective equipment is effective in keeping out the virus. It is important to mention that this can only be achieved with the correct use of the equipment. Ensure that you cover your entire body using a gown, medical gloves, a face mask, a shield and protective eye wear. Two pairs of gloves should be worn when handling needles.

If you come into contact with a person suspected to be infected, wash your hands with soap and lots of water or a hand sanitizer. Hand washing has been shown to greatly reduce the transmission risk but does not entirely eliminate this risk. Items that have been used by infected persons should be avoided at all costs. The rooms that they have used should be hosed down before they can be reused.

If you have items that need to be re-used then proper disinfection and sterilization are necessary. Chlorine bleach is effective for needles and other sharps. The sharps should be soaked for at least thirty seconds in the bleach. Bleach solution is also effective in cleaning surfaces and equipment. The process should be repeated at least twice. Heat resilient items can be sterilized by boiling for about twenty minutes.

People who die from Ebola remain infectious for a long period of time. The virus feeds on the tissues until the whole body has decomposed. This means that careful disposal of corpses is required. Any death that is suspected to be a result of Ebola should be reported to the local department of public health. There should be no direct contact whatsoever.

Other animals other than human beings have also been shown to be hosts of the virus. Some of the well known animals that are commonly infected include fruit eating bats in the tropical rainforests and non-human primates. It is widely believed that the first infection in humans originated from these hosts. Any fluids and tissues from these animals may transmit the illness and should be avoided.

If you have a history of recent travel to a place with confirmed cases of the virus, you need to monitor yourself. Look out for an increase in your body temperature that may suggest a fever. The virus usually takes a couple of days to incubate. If you experience such a fever with or without any of the following symptoms: abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, muscle pains, headache or unexplained bleeding, go the hospital immediately.

The control of the Ebola outbreak can only be achieved by interrupting the chain of transmission. Any person that is suspected to have contracted Ebola or has been confirmed to have the same should be kept in isolation. They should only be handled by properly trained personnel who have the required equipment for the task.




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