Ebola.

It has been a word that has broke the headlines time and time again over the recent months in the U.S. Whether it is coming from CNN or a local community newspaper, Ebola is becoming a household name within the media.

It can range anywhere from a new infection, or to the numerous webpages that hold zero credibility, such as nationalreport.net, in which the website fabricated a story that a family of five was being quarantined after they tested positive for Ebola.

Regardless of the situation, it seems to have caught the attention of many.

However, when it comes down to it, the students at Shippensburg University seem to have the ideal mindset when it comes to assessing and digesting fact from fiction in regards to the deadly epidemic spreading across Western Africa. Amongst the fear the media and social networks have created, students at S.U. understand that the risk of Ebola becoming a widespread epidemic in the U.S. is highly unlikely—but there is a bit of an underlying concern over the issue.

Emily Emig, a sophomore at SU, expressed that she was slightly concerned in the Ceddia Union Building when asked about Ebola in the U.S., but also went on to say, “the government has it contained.”

Another sophomore, Isabella Angelone, further backed that statement when asked if she was concerned about Ebola becoming a bigger problem in the U.S.

“To be honest, not really. We are further ahead medically,” Angelone said.

In addition to the students’ trust in their national government, other students are calming their nerves by understanding how Ebola is contracted, as well as understanding the difficulty the disease has of infecting others.

Briana Rabonowitz, a senior at SU, said she was not concerned about Ebola becoming a bigger issue in the U.S.

“As long as you’re educated, there should be no concern,” Rabonowitz said.

According to the Center for Disease Control, Ebola is spread through direct contact [broken skin or mucous membranes] with blood or bodily fluid, contact with infected objects such as needles or contact with infected fruit bats or primates. Ebola is not airborne, the CDC website said.

Share