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Ebola.

It’s on most people’s minds to varying degrees. Some people watch the news coverage and wonder what it all means. You’ve probably seen the devastation in West Africa and wonder how it could have happened so fast and when it will end. You’ve seen cases come overseas into the United States, and you ask if the United States (and possibly Canada and Western Europe) is next for a big outbreak. Some people are seeing new policies at work and in public places as a result of a heightened public awareness. You may even be right in the thick of things, battling on the front lines to stop the current outbreak in West Africa from getting worse and doing what you can to help the people who need it most.

Once upon a time a public health emergency in West Africa may have felt far away, remote, and not applicable to you. But in today’s global society – with technology and mass travel and family members and friends spread out in all directions – an emergency anywhere can feel like it’s right in your own backyard.

Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, chances are good that Ebola has somehow impacted your life, even if it’s just to prompt your curiosity to know more about this virus and outbreak – and maybe even public health in general.

This outbreak is a scary yet fascinating experience. The Ebola outbreak of 2014 is unprecedented, and the world is trying to figure out how to respond together. From providing care on the front lines to educating communities to examining world health policy, the outbreak is a complex issue to make sense of and do something about. Science, history, and politics have intersected, and it’s everyone’s job to discover as much as possible to help stop the crisis in West Africa, keep everyone safe and sound all across the world – at home and abroad – and move forward as a world united with a mission to prevent something like this outbreak in the future.

About This Book

People are trying to process what’s happening, and what they can and should do about it. Reading Ebola Myths & Facts For Dummies is a good start. It contains no hype, no spin. It’s just the facts, ma’am (or sir), and it’s meant to give you a thorough, yet easy-to-understand guide.

It presents the basics (like how you can prevent yourself from getting Ebola), and also touches on some of the more layered issues, such as the ways different countries have responded to this outbreak. It does this all in plain English, sharing as much factual information as possible, rather than going on about my opinions or theories.

This book is a reference tool you can turn to in order to understand whatever particular aspect of Ebola you want. The beauty is that you don’t have to read through the entire book cover to cover to get the information you want. You can simply open to the table of contents, find what you’re looking for, and head directly to that section.

You can expect to find useful reference material such as:

✔ How this virus was discovered and how it led to this outbreak (refer to Chapter 2)

✔ How to know if someone has Ebola (head to Chapter 5)

✔ What to expect and how to prepare if you’re a health worker heading into the affected areas (check out Chapter 7)

✔ A quick rundown of the most common myths busted (flip to Chapter 8)

Foolish Assumptions

In order to write something that was clear and helpful, I had to zero in on who I thought would read this book. So even though I never like to assume, I have to admit, I did make a few assumptions here in this book about you as my readers:

✔ You have heard or seen at least something about Ebola in the news or maybe from a friend or co-worker.

✔ You have come here to discover the facts on Ebola.

✔ You probably aren’t in an affected area right now, but may be in the near future.

✔ You care about keeping yourself (and others) safe and healthy.

✔ You have a basic understanding of or experience with common illnesses like the flu and colds.

Icons Used in This Book

Look for those familiar For Dummies icons to offer visual clues about the kinds of material you’re about to read.

This icon points out some good advice relating to the subject matter you’re reading about. Skimming these icons can give you some good tips to help you navigate the different steps in staying healthy (and helping others do the same)!

The information that you’re reading about and potentially sharing with others can be serious and impactful. I highlight important concepts and facts with this icon. Consider these the “extra-important” paragraphs you’ll want to remember.

This icon points out information that is meant to steer you away from harmful or dangerous situations. Be sure always to read these.

The icon directs you to additional online information about Ebola. You can find it at www.dummies.com/extras/ebolamythsandfacts.

Beyond the Book

In addition to the content of this book, you can access some valuable related material online.

You can read a free Cheat Sheet at www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/ebolamythsandfacts that gives you all the information you want the most in a fast and easy way (like a list of Ebola symptoms and what to do if you think someone you know has it), without having to go through pages and pages of text. Remembering all the facts about Ebola can be difficult, so the cheat sheet is also a great tool to recollect what you read here.

You can also access some additional helpful bits of information at www.dummies.com/extras/ebolamythsandfacts. I cover some extra topics, such as common scenarios from which you can’t contract Ebola and how to fight the stigma of Ebola.

Where to Go from Here

The book is about as modular as you can get with this topic. Each chapter contains a bunch of information and is self-contained, meaning that you don’t have to read one chapter to understand what happens in the next. If there’s something you saw on TV or you only care about how not to catch Ebola, use the table of contents as your guide and skip right to the appropriate chapter to read about it.

Chapter 1 is a great place to start to get your bearings in the book. Suppose you do want to read about the symptoms of Ebola and how to prevent getting it, you can head to Chapter 5. Start with Chapter 3 if you want all the details on the current situation in West Africa. If you’re a healthcare worker who’s heading to an affected area and need to cut right to the chase so you can prepare yourself, go to Chapter 7. And if you want to explore the science and evolution of Ebola, your starting point is Chapter 2.

The easiest way, though, to use the book is to start turning pages and read the content. And because I know that this topic is very important and concerning to many folks, don’t be shy about making notes in the chapters, highlighting information, and putting flags on the pages so you can come back later.

Oh, and one more note: If you’re reading this because you feel ill, put this book down and get thee to a doctor!