Question

we will discuss the ethical considerations surrounding the forced containment of those who may become infected with the Ebola virus.

you will first play the role of a senior advisor to the President of the United States. He has asked you to assist him in persuading the American people that containment is ethical.

Provide the American people (i.e. class members) with your justifications for containment. You should persuade them to believe that containing their sick family members is ethical.

Answer 1

ANSWERS -

1) Role as a senior advisor to the President of United States-

* The word ethics means related to a person's moral principles and behaviour and actions based on these principles.

* Ebola virus is spread from animals to human and from infected human to other humans through direct contract with body fluids and from contact with infected materials.

* Each citizen has the ethical responsibility to protect self from infection and not to infect others by following instructions given by the government and health department.

* This ethical responsibility is important to protect people and country from endemics and pandemics of communicable diseases.

* Each individual, family and community are responsible and accountable to protect themselves and others along with government, and public health department from spread of infection.

* Isolation of the infected person, family and group from others, restricting their activities and remaining within a limited area and use of personal protectives are the only preventable measure to control this infections.

* So containment of self is a social responsibility and moral and ethical principle to be followed by each citizen.

2) Justification for containment :-

* Forced containment

* Containment means control - it is forces control over people, and area from social contact and social interactions. The control is mandatory to prevent spread of contagious disease to other people and area, and to limit or control it only within the specific area and people.

* Infectious diseases or communicable diseases which can spread from one person to other through contact - (directly with the infected person or objects and materials contaminated with microorganisms ) through air via droplets carrying microorganisms can spread very fast from person to person.

* So this spread can be prevented only by reducing the contact with infected people and materials and air.

* Isolating individuals or groups of people who are infected or have had contact with infection is a very important and essential activity to prevent further spread of infectious disease.

* As an individual each one have responsibility to not to infect or spread infection to others.

* National public health law provides measures to manage health crisis like in an outbreak of Ebola infection and also for prevention of diseases, health promotion and protection.