EBOLA: THE MULTIPLIER EFFECT!!!

Hi y'all, hope you're enjoying the cool weather we are having lately. This is my favorite season of the year, so if you are one of those people that cant stand the cold, please bear with us, your sunshine will be back soon.

I absolutely do not like anything gory and I guess that's why I've steered clear of any discussions about the Ebola Virus Disease that is currently affecting parts of Africa and now Nigeria :( .



Last week, we were told that about 54 people have been identified who had contact with Patrick Sawyer before he died of the ebola virus disease at a hospital here in Lagos. My concern then was if the number of people he had contact with can be limited to just the 54. What about the plane that bought him into the country? What about other passengers who would have later boarded that same plane and sat on the seat he had sat on?

Now that it has been reported that the female doctor who treated Mr Sawyer had contacted the disease(read it here), I'm beginning to think about the multiplier effect of this disease. If 54 people have been identified as having contacted Mr Sawyer, what about the people who have contacted these people???

Are we watching the beginning of an epidemic here - God forbid!!!

But we can't afford to play ignorant about this. We need to take responsibility for our own protection.

Hand-washing is no longer an option for anyone one of us and by that I mean washing hands with soap (preferably antibacterial soap) and water. We need to teach children how to properly wash their hands too. You'd be surprised at how many adults walk out of public toilets without washing their hands or merely rinsing with just water alone.




We also must be careful about what we touch when in public. Handrails, light switches, door knobs etc. Of course handling any of these may be unavoidable but please keep a hand sanitizer to regularly disinfect yourself.



What about the food we eat? Fruits need to be properly washed before consumption o! If you can even wash them in vinegar and water better for you!! But certainly no eating of  those peeled fruits sold by road side vendors!!!



 From what I've read, the early symptoms of the disease are similar to Malaria or even flu, so anyone feeling off colour should endeavor to get a medical confirmation fast and not self medicate like we always do.

I also read, that men who have been treated for the disease can still contaminate their sex partners up to two months after their clearance, - this is yet another cause for safe sex o!!!

We can also try to build up our immunity by taking the necessary vitamins and minerals, who knows, it just might help.

photo credits: wikimedia.org

Every crisis situation always presents opportunities for some, so anyone thinking of making a fast buck at this time may consider starting a hand sanitizer selling/ manufacturing business. I hear that the day news of Patrick Sawyer's death broke, shops in Awolowo road, Ikoyi, ran out of hand sanitizers as there was a mad rush for the product.

My prayer for everyone reading this is that no arrow of affliction shall locate you this year in Jesus name.

AUNTY MO.