To be anxious about the risk of Ebola?

[car1sberg]

Hi,

We are due our second baby in mid December. We plan to go and stay with my parents for the whole of December with our toddler, due to currently living at the other side of the country and having no family nearby. This has been planned for a while.

My retired Dad has just decided to go back to work on a temp 6 week contract in Nigeria, starting very soon, and ending mid December. He has had necessary vaccinations. I am aware there is currently no Ebola in Nigeria, but there may be by then, or he may have been in contact with it at the airport on his way back, and then come back with it, where we will be. I have read the incubation period is up to 21 days. The thought of this is worrying me, would we be putting our small children and ourselves at risk, should we make alternative plans, or AIBU?

Look forward to hearing some opinions!

I think it's totally normal to be anxious about anything with a newborn. But I do think you need to relax a little. If the risk increases of him catching it, then fine later on make alternative plans.

Thousands of people are passing through every day and countries far closer than us without screening haven't even had a single case yet.

Even Thomas Duncan's immediate family haven't come down with Ebola after he with symptoms so contagious lived in the same home as him. The only people that did were HCP who treated him.

I expect your dad would be far more considerate however, and stay well away from his loved ones if he felt in the slightest bit unwell and there was any risk of him having Ebola.

Nigeria has just been declared free of Ebola, I think.

Sorry, just saw you already knew that.

Try not to worry, it's still comparatively very rare.

You are, really, but I understand why.

Can you read up about how it is transmitted and make sure that none of those things are at risk of occurring?

The risk is really very tiny. Shall I worry you about the things that are more likely?

Thank you for the replies.. :) I do realise the risk is very slim, I'm not fully panicking or anything like that, and was expecting to be told I'm overreacting probably, I just can't shake the niggling feeling as it concerns my babies so I'd feel irresponsible not to think about it?

Totally understandable but I feel yo should only worry once your dad is nearer going if there are any cases then in Nigeria.

I for one feel very comforted that Nigeria have contained it so far I was very worried about the UK until then but now I feel more logical and a lot calmer.
There is a good webchat on Ebola on here with some interesting points from the welcome trust.

Treatment - admittedly untested are hoprfully soon to be used and the vaccine is showing promise and will hopefully be issued this side of Christmas.

I was really scared until a few weeks back but now I feel a lot less stressed

If your dad was to visit Nigeria at. a later date and Ebola had been present then make a judgement call but until then try not to panic.

Of course you wat to protect your babies thats perfectly natural so don't feel your over reacting.

Nigeria only had Ebola because of one person from Liberia coming into the country. The way they dealt with it notwithstanding their difficulties is really an object lesson in how to deal with any outbreak and they will continue to be very careful. It seems to me that your father is at no greater risk there than he would be in the UK.

The MN Ebola topic is here and the webchat mentioned is stickied at the top of it.

Nigeria was declared officially Ebola free after 6 weeks with no new cases. That's twice the incubation period.

Yes, it might get another case from a traveller just as US might. But no-one has caught it from a fellow traveller on a plane.