Ebola: Public Health and Public Relations

Ten thousand people – 70% of those infected -- have died of Ebola in West Africa, but experience in this country shows the virus is not a death sentence after all. In this country, one man died after a Dallas hospital failed to implement federal guidelines for treatment. All seven of the others who’ve been infected have recovered. Nevertheless, eight states have gone beyond federal guidelines to establish mandatory quarantines for those who’ve treated patients with the disease. The President says that might discourage healthcare workers from going to West Africa while there’s still time to prevent a worldwide epidemic. Are the governors taking prudent precautions or playing politics with public health?