Ebola: Are We Prepared As a Nation?

Rob Douglas here.

As I got up this morning and was preparing to share with you the latest information about the Ebola epidemic that has gripped Africa and threatens the United States, I caught an interview on CNBC that perfectly captured the question we must all confront.

The question is: Are we prepared as a nation to confront Ebola?

I’ll take it one step further and ask an even more important question.

Are we prepared as individuals to confront Ebola – or any other virus – that could result in Americans being quarantined in their homes for extended periods of time?

I’ve written to you several times over the last few weeks and gently suggested that quarantines could happen and that we, as self-reliant individuals, need to be prepared for that possibility.

And while I still believe that it is only a possibility for the vast majority of Americans, the reality is that there are individuals and families that have now been quarantined in their homes.

Before I say more about that issue, let me share a bit of the interview I saw on CNBC with you. A video of the full interview can be found at “Ebola Outbreak Different This Time: Expert.”

Because I don’t know how long CNBC will keep that link available, I took the time to transcribe a good bit of the interview. Here’s the relevant portion of the interview as conducted by anchorwoman Becky Quick.

Becky Quick (CNBC): “President Obama cancelling all travel plans today to meet with advisors to talk about the government’s response to the virus. Let’s bring in Dr. Scott Gottlieb. He is a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Scott, we’ve talked a lot about this. The president yesterday saying, “Hey, we’ve closed down and shut down Ebola in the past, we’ll do it again this time.” How is this time different and how do we combat it this time?” [Emphasis added]

Dr. Scott Gottlieb, (Resident Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute): “Well this time is very different. In the past, when we’ve had Ebola outbreaks they’ve been in isolated villages in Africa and we’ve combatted it and shut it down basically by isolating villages and allowing the virus to burn itself out. You can’t isolate Liberia, a country of 4.5 million people, and you can’t isolate Dallas. So were going to have to actually go in now and confront the virus and not just try to quarantine it. It’s very different circumstances.” [Emphasis added]

Becky Quick: “Scott, my frustration is with the CDC (Center for Disease Control) at this point. I was stunned to hear that this nurse had traveled coming back, knowing that she had a fever and knowing that she’d been in contact with an Ebola victim. I was doubly stunned to find out that she had actually contacted the CDC beforehand and was told to go ahead and travel. It raises a lot of questions about how prepared we are as a nation, not just with our healthcare system but with the CDC. Are we ready for this? What are we missing?” [Emphasis added]

Gottlieb then acknowledges what everyone knows – that “there’s clearly been some missteps with the CDC.” But as he goes into an explanation that comes across as excuse making for the CDC, and perhaps appropriate blame-shifting to other areas of the federal government, Joe Kernen, Becky Quick’s co-host, cuts him off.

Joe Kernen: “Wait a minute. What did you just say, Scott? We’re not going to be able to quarantine at this time, we’re going to have to confront the virus directly? We don’t have any tools to confront the virus directly. All we have is quarantine.” [Emphasis added]

Bingo!

The interview doesn’t end there. But that is the take-away from the interview.

“We don’t have any tools to confront the virus directly. All we have is quarantine.”

Think about it. When push comes to shove, quarantine is the only realistic way to deal with an outbreak of a virus for which there is no known cure. Whether it is Ebola today – let’s hope and pray that’s not the case – or another virus for which there is no cure at some point in the future, quarantine will be a distinct possibility.

So I ask again.

Are we prepared as individuals to confront Ebola – or any other virus – that could result in Americans being quarantined in their homes for extended periods of time?

After I sign off at the bottom of this message today, I will provide a few links to products that I believe can help you be prepared for an extended quarantine. I don’t receive any proceeds from the sale of the products.

Personally, I don’t care what products or methods you use to prepare for an extended quarantine. I just care that you are, in fact, prepared.

Here’s why.

Just a glance at the headlines today should be a great indication of how quickly the outbreak of a virus – like Ebola – could paralyze our nation and bring commerce to a halt.

So adopt the tactic I was taught a long time ago when I was on a rescue squad: React now, so you won’t overreact later.

In other words: If you prepare for the worst now, you won’t panic later.

OK. It’s your turn. Write me at [email protected] and tell me how well you think the federal government is doing to combat Ebola.

I look forward to your emails.

Be safe, secure and free!

Rob Douglas – Former Washington DC Private Detective

PS – The two products I mentioned above are The Ultimate Guide to Food Storage and the Elite Survival Kit. While I don’t receive any of the proceeds from these products, I think they can play a role in being prepared.

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