After a man was diagnosed with Ebola yesterday, everyone wants to know where Dr. Craig Spencer has been and what he’s been doing. Did he sneeze on the subway? Cough on his Uber driver? Spit on the High Line?
A number of news sites have made maps for readers to track where Spencer went. For those looking to feel needlessly uncomfortable while riding the L train or walking along the High Line then, by all means, click those links. Here’s an alternative though: don’t click them. They won’t help.
Reports indicate that Spencer is a competent doctor and was very aware of possible infection, taking many precautions and checking his temperature twice-a-day. Since Ebola dries out fast and doesn’t build to high levels in saliva or mucus until later stages, it’s very unlikely that he infected the public at large.
He went bowling on Wednesday night and there were concerns about infections at The Gutter in Brooklyn.
The New York Times asked a doctor if someone could get Ebola from a bowling ball and his reply will probably answer a lot of questions:
If someone left blood, vomit or feces on a bowling ball, and the next person to touch it did not even notice, and then put his fingers into his eyes, nose or mouth, it might be possible.
Keep calm, carry on.
