Air Canada flight attendants concerned about Ebola
#33
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: YVR
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 30
Oh for pete's sake…
Ebola has a high risk of infection but a very low risk of contagion. These are two very different factors in the disease's vector. The odds of the average North American contracting Ebola are so microscopic it's ridiculous.
Once again we human beings demonstrate that we're utterly crapola at assessing risk. We're still wired to stalk antelope in the tall grass and run the hell away from lions.
Ebola has a high risk of infection but a very low risk of contagion. These are two very different factors in the disease's vector. The odds of the average North American contracting Ebola are so microscopic it's ridiculous.
Once again we human beings demonstrate that we're utterly crapola at assessing risk. We're still wired to stalk antelope in the tall grass and run the hell away from lions.
#35
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 3,392
On one hand, I cringe at people's ignorance and inability to analyze risk. On the other hand, if you are serious and prices are dropping then it looks like it is time to go on safari again. Far be it from me not to capitalize on other people's stupidity.
#36
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Body in Downtown YYZ, heart and mind elsewhere
Programs: UA 50K, refugee from AC E50K, Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 5,131
Quote your source and I'll consider it. Otherwise I call complete bull on that statement.
Each virus has it's own characteristics, but mutation in the sense of adaptation is a different matter. What's currently going through West Africa is Ebola, family filoviridae. Plain. And. Simple.
This whole thing about "we should shut our borders" is pointless. What we should do is infuse West Africa with massive aid in the form of mobile treatment labs, trained personnel, medical supplies etc. While AC FAs can feel the need to protect themselves with gloves, those same gloves would be incredibly more usefully employed in West African vs some E90 doing a YYCYEG milk run.
While I'm on the topic - I do feel that Canada's response to this (approx $65 million) is shamefully paltry. I'll bet the mission against ISIS has cost at least that much already. Both ISIS and Ebola require a massive response. But Ebola can be controlled. I'm less certain about ISIS.
Each virus has it's own characteristics, but mutation in the sense of adaptation is a different matter. What's currently going through West Africa is Ebola, family filoviridae. Plain. And. Simple.
This whole thing about "we should shut our borders" is pointless. What we should do is infuse West Africa with massive aid in the form of mobile treatment labs, trained personnel, medical supplies etc. While AC FAs can feel the need to protect themselves with gloves, those same gloves would be incredibly more usefully employed in West African vs some E90 doing a YYCYEG milk run.
While I'm on the topic - I do feel that Canada's response to this (approx $65 million) is shamefully paltry. I'll bet the mission against ISIS has cost at least that much already. Both ISIS and Ebola require a massive response. But Ebola can be controlled. I'm less certain about ISIS.
#37
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Thanks for the Memories !!!
Posts: 10,656
Ebola Diagnosis Delayed, blame on AC Pilot....
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmont...mple-1.2803879
"Yes, we have had a particular challenge in transporting a sample," acknowledged Canada's Minister of Health Rona Ambrose on Friday. "But that involved a pilot with Air Canada that was quickly resolved we did have a challenge and we believe that it's been resolved."
Speaking with Ambrose, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Gregory Taylor blamed misinformation and fear for the delay, but said individuals involved in transporting the test materials have no reason to fear for their safety. (snip)
"Yes, we have had a particular challenge in transporting a sample," acknowledged Canada's Minister of Health Rona Ambrose on Friday. "But that involved a pilot with Air Canada that was quickly resolved we did have a challenge and we believe that it's been resolved."
Speaking with Ambrose, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Gregory Taylor blamed misinformation and fear for the delay, but said individuals involved in transporting the test materials have no reason to fear for their safety. (snip)
#38
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: YYC
Posts: 23,742
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmont...mple-1.2803879
"Yes, we have had a particular challenge in transporting a sample," acknowledged Canada's Minister of Health Rona Ambrose on Friday. "But that involved a pilot with Air Canada that was quickly resolved we did have a challenge and we believe that it's been resolved."
Speaking with Ambrose, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Gregory Taylor blamed misinformation and fear for the delay, but said individuals involved in transporting the test materials have no reason to fear for their safety. (snip)
"Yes, we have had a particular challenge in transporting a sample," acknowledged Canada's Minister of Health Rona Ambrose on Friday. "But that involved a pilot with Air Canada that was quickly resolved we did have a challenge and we believe that it's been resolved."
Speaking with Ambrose, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Gregory Taylor blamed misinformation and fear for the delay, but said individuals involved in transporting the test materials have no reason to fear for their safety. (snip)
#40
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: PHL
Programs: NEXUS, UA Club
Posts: 641
In relation to Ebola, personally I am not too worried. The mortality rate is high, yes, but it is a very difficult disease to contract. Influenza is far more contagious and I don't get sick on every flight that I take. I think a lot of the fear is caused by hype - think SARS in Toronto. My friends in the US would freak out every time I went to Toronto, but I never felt unsafe. (Incidentally my response to them was that I should be fine since I didn't lick any patients in a hospital). That being said, one thing I am curious about is the lavatory - I understand sitting next to someone is perfectly safe, but I do think the lavatory presents additional risks that need to be considered. At the end of the day though, I don't consider flying to be any more risky today than it was last week or last year. In this global world, I do think this is the new reality. There will always be something that will present a health threat - today it is Ebola, tomorrow, it will be something else. To expect borders to shut down every time there is a health threat is unrealistic, in my opinion.
#41
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Body in Downtown YYZ, heart and mind elsewhere
Programs: UA 50K, refugee from AC E50K, Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 5,131
To add to this, many people don't realize how nasty the world is from an infectious disease perspective. Ebola outbreaks have happened periodically for the past few decades, but it's only now that one is really hitting the mass consciousness of the world.
For example, there are currently a handful of cases of Marburg Virus Disease in Kampala. This is going mostly unreported outside of scientific circles, yet Marburg for the most part is clinically similar (indistinguishable even) to Ebola. I'll bet though that it's just as easy to fly to Kampala today as it was last week or last month.
Here's one more - there's one confirmed death from Plague in China. Should we shut down all flights and contact with China?
#42
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: YYZ, MNL, WAW
Programs: Marriott Plat, (now an AC nobody)
Posts: 1,978
http://www.vox.com/2014/10/13/695908...tated-airborne
http://www.nature.com/news/ebola-vir...preads-1.15777
This whole thing about "we should shut our borders" is pointless. What we should do is infuse West Africa with massive aid in the form of mobile treatment labs, trained personnel, medical supplies etc. While AC FAs can feel the need to protect themselves with gloves, those same gloves would be incredibly more usefully employed in West African vs some E90 doing a YYCYEG milk run.
While I'm on the topic - I do feel that Canada's response to this (approx $65 million) is shamefully paltry. I'll bet the mission against ISIS has cost at least that much already. Both ISIS and Ebola require a massive response. But Ebola can be controlled. I'm less certain about ISIS.
#45
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan, IHG, Enterprise, Avios, Nexus
Posts: 8,355
Seriously? Ebola isn't anywhere near where people go on Safari. Not by 5000 miles or so.
On one hand, I cringe at people's ignorance and inability to analyze risk. On the other hand, if you are serious and prices are dropping then it looks like it is time to go on safari again. Far be it from me not to capitalize on other people's stupidity.
On one hand, I cringe at people's ignorance and inability to analyze risk. On the other hand, if you are serious and prices are dropping then it looks like it is time to go on safari again. Far be it from me not to capitalize on other people's stupidity.
Southern Africa is great and I like it there particularly Namibia. If the Ebola scare means fewer Tilley-hat wearing dummies with monster cameras and carry-on bags crammed with more antibiotics and Imodium than most pharmacies then that's a definite plus.