La Jolla, CA - I have returned to my community in California, though my heart is still in Liberia. I am back in the US to produce a documentary film about the people and country of Liberia and ebola.
And I am being tracked by the CDC and US government. The morning of my first day here on Saturday, a nurse and an epidemiologist came to visit. I was asked to sign a letter acknowledging all the instructions which will govern my behavior until April 13, 2015, 21 days after leaving Liberia. I must take my temperature twice daily, morning and evening, and report the readings daily. I must check for signs and symptoms of illness every day and report any of ten symptoms. I must notify public health services prior to leaving San Diego County for any reason. If I develop any symptoms, I must contact public health services immediately, isolate myself and wait for additional instructions. After several days now, it has become routine and I am grateful that the screening is in place – and I still feel the prejudice of being one of “them.”
And I am being tracked by the CDC and US government. The morning of my first day here on Saturday, a nurse and an epidemiologist came to visit. I was asked to sign a letter acknowledging all the instructions which will govern my behavior until April 13, 2015, 21 days after leaving Liberia. I must take my temperature twice daily, morning and evening, and report the readings daily. I must check for signs and symptoms of illness every day and report any of ten symptoms. I must notify public health services prior to leaving San Diego County for any reason. If I develop any symptoms, I must contact public health services immediately, isolate myself and wait for additional instructions. After several days now, it has become routine and I am grateful that the screening is in place – and I still feel the prejudice of being one of “them.”
Stigmatization is a big conversation in Liberia. There is an Ebola Survivors Association of hundreds of people across the country. The fear of this disease has caused fear-based behavior to happen all over the world, in countries where ebola is present and in countries without ebola. I have witnessed both, in Liberia and since landing in Washington DC from Liberia six days ago. There was news over the weekend that the last ebola case diagnosed March 20th in Liberia died one week later; the cause of infection likely having sex with a survivor even though he was ebola free for more than 90 days. So on Saturday, the Liberian government recommended that survivors of ebola practice safe sex indefinitely. Another stigma.
I am so aware of the “us and them” conversation, the controversy over the World Health Organization’s handling of the international emergency declaration delay from June to August of last year, the delay in the US and world’s response… and I so pray that we as one human family are learning from this unprecedented crisis, how to choose love instead of fear, how to dissolve the us and them, how to be one human family with love and caring for all.
Please continue to hold our human being family members in Liberia in your heart and prayers as well as all affected by this awful disease. We are all in this together.
With love and gratitude ~ Deborah
I am so aware of the “us and them” conversation, the controversy over the World Health Organization’s handling of the international emergency declaration delay from June to August of last year, the delay in the US and world’s response… and I so pray that we as one human family are learning from this unprecedented crisis, how to choose love instead of fear, how to dissolve the us and them, how to be one human family with love and caring for all.
Please continue to hold our human being family members in Liberia in your heart and prayers as well as all affected by this awful disease. We are all in this together.
With love and gratitude ~ Deborah
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