Allegheny Co. Health Dept. Director Addresses Local Ebola Fears
TURTLE CREEK (KDKA) -- As fears over Ebola creep closer to home, local health officials are doing all they can to ease the minds of those worried about it.
Dr. Karen Hacker, the director of the Allegheny County Health Department, was in Turtle Creek Wednesday night talking to folks about their community health concerns.
Still, she's well aware Ebola concerns are real and she wants folks to get the real facts.
"There's very little risk to an individual in this country at this point in time," said Dr. Hacker.
The cases in this country, highly publicized, the death of a man in Dallas and two of the more than 70 hospital employees who came in contact with him who are now infected.
The fear factor is spreading a lot faster than the virus, even in Turtle Creek.
"My 14-year-old says, 'Mom, this is like a movie and we're all going to die from that,'" said Suzanne Acrie, of Turtle Creek. "It's kind of scary when he says that."
Doctors have real concerns about grown-ups calling 911, checking in at local emergency rooms, convinced they have Ebola when they do not.
There's so much concern, emergency workers will soon have a questionnaire for folks.
"Things like, have you traveled in the last 21 days? Have you traveled to West Africa in the last 21 days? Have you been exposed to someone with Ebola?" Dr. Hacker said. "If those answers are no, then you can pretty much rule out that's not what we are talking about here."
Dr. Hacker says she's more worried right now about the anxiety and stress folks are feeling over Ebola fears. She suggests people stay off of social media and blogs.
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