What could we do to protect ourselves if it does become a problem here in the US?
Before I answer allow me to point out that the primary threat to your life and health would come from the resulting panic that may occur even at infection rates too low to have any statistical threat.
So that would be people keeping thier kids home from school.. as a result not going to work...then some overeager politicians "do something" and create quarantines.. which breaks the grid, which will kill a LOT of people.
For the disease protection itself there are different graduations of protection depending on your activity during a extensive break-out in your City
1) Just to go out occasionally to the gas station and store , gloves goggle, a N95 mask , frequent handwashing will be plenty effective in combination with social distancing.
While there will be a lot of "But..!" people it is your 90% response proportional to the threat that is very sustainable to boot.
2) if you have to mix it up with people a bit (standing in line for food handouts etc) take it a step further and tape your gloves to your sleeves. Instead of just regular shooting googles, lab googles whit splash protection may be better now. Then when you return take off your clothes and air them out (Air kills ebola, even if its aerosolized, which is very very rare , usually after a few minutes)
3) If you are caring for an Ebola infected relative its a different ballgame.
If you have a large family to be concerned abou, I would consider to not care for them because getting yourself infected will be very difficult to prevent. But if its your only family member this is what I would do:
- person stays in one room only! preferably a large bathroom where they can use the toilet and you can set up a cot for them to lie on. ....Do NOT carry their feces in buckets or bloody bandages thru the house under any circumstances or you WILL infect whoever else is living there.
- Tape the sides/tops of the door shut. (leave window cracked.. if no window the tape is ok as air will still sufficiently diffuse thru most tape jobs to give the person air.
- Ideally when you enter the room you wear gloves taped to a Tyvk suit and a real "gas" mask. In a pinch painters mask etc will work well.
- Minimize time spent.
- Disinfect the room before you leave w/ bleach or soap/water ( which also kills ebola). Wash the door handles on the inside w/ bleach or soap/water..
- After you leave that room go directly into a nearby room that is ONLY used for your undressing. undress completely wash wash your clothes. Take a shower whit lots of soap, keeping your eyes closed(!) the entire time as you shower. Breathe only thru your nose as you do all this ( it has some built in filtration). Keep your eyes closed as much as posisble.
After the wash these clothes will be safely reusable as the virus is easily and completely deactivated/killed by detergent.
- Now go back and wash the door handles of the room you just left with bleach.
- For feeding the person =...... they will not be hungry... Just give them things to drink. If they dont beat the disease they will die from it long before they would starve. If they are still alive after 5 days of showing symptoms they
might make it.
- Give them LOTS of pedialyte and Vitamin C. Anyone concerned about such diseases needs to have lots of pedialyte stocked as this is very superior to sports drinks in electrolyte maintenance. If no pedialyte around then thinned gatorade will be fine.