Students react to Ebola scare in Belleville
BELLEVILLE – Students at Loyalist College are not too concerned about the Ebola scare that took place Monday, Oct. 13 in Belleville.
QNet News talked to students at Loyalist about their reaction and thoughts of the virus potentially coming to Ontario after a patient recently tested negative for Ebola.
“Not terribly for the time being,” says Loyalist student Tristan Porteous when asked if he is worried the virus may come to Belleville.
“Our securities are going to be safe screening everyone coming into the country” he says.
Another student, Kimberle Armstrong, says she is slightly worried about the virus but not overly concerned.
“Our healthcare system is one of the better ones in the world,” she says.
Armstrong says she thinks citizens are safe from the virus in Canada.
“We will take every precaution if [Ebola] does enter our country,” she says.
Armstrong says the virus has not been exaggerated, especially in certain countries. She says more needs to be done to educate people about the virus—specifically in countries without a good healthcare system.
Other students such as Dane Madsgaard, disagrees, saying the virus has been a bit overblown.
Madsgaard says too big of a deal is being made over Ebola but there is also a lot of misinformation being delivered to the public.
With the Trenton Canadian Forces Base so close to Belleville, QNet News also asked students if they think that allows a bigger window for Ebola to come into the area.
Some students do believe there is a slightly higher risk of the virus entering Ontario.
Porteous says troops are coming and going back from the base to West Africa which increases the risk of someone coming in contact with the virus. However, it is still unlikely to happen.
“If we have any nurses or doctors coming back, they will take the proper precautions to make sure they are not infecting anyone,” says Porteous.