"As Ebola patient in Texas fights for his life, his family copes with stigma and isolation" by Tashina Amiro

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/as-ebola-patient-in-texas-fights-for-his-life-his-family-copes-with-stigma-and-isolation/2014/10/05/d3c8b2ac-4cc7-11e4-8c24-487e92bc997b_story.html


If you haven't already heard from EVERYONE, there was a recent issue with Ebola in Dallas, TX. (I'm aware the story has evolved to more, but this was the most recent article I was able to find) Eric Duncan is a Liberian man who shortly after returning from West Africa found out he had Ebola. He was in critical condition, isolated, and monitored. Duncan's family made a big deal out of the fact that experimental medicines were not being tested on Eric and claim they just want him to be better. The Health Department monitored over 40 possible people that could have came in contact with Duncan and had them isolate themselves until they were told otherwise. Among these people was Eric's family. Not only have they had to deal with fear, but they are now shunned by a whole Liberian community; people in general don't dare go near them. Overall, the whole situation has been difficult for many people.


I feel bad for the family because I feel a lot of their situation is due to the media. The media has a way of blowing things out of proportion and striking fear into people because it sells the story. Besides my issue with the media, I believe the doctors should at least be more willing to work with the family in a hope to try at least some of the experimental medicine on Eric. Rather than freaking out, people should just be cautious; they're not already suffering from Ebola or from the effects of the media.