Twenty-one days: the maximum incubation period for Ebola Virus Disease. That means if you have come into contact with the virus but have no symptoms by day twenty two, then you are clear.

Forty two days: the incubation period x 2, and the period it takes for a country to be officially considered clear of the disease. If no new suspected cases are reported for 42 days, the outbreak is over.

Today, Wednesday 13th August 2014, is a big day for me ... it has been twenty-one days since I left Liberia, and for the first time I know beyond a doubt that I am Ebola-free. Not everyone is so lucky. In my first 14 days of incubation in the comfort of my Southampton home, the number of cases in Liberia more than doubled from 249 on 23rd July to 554 on 6th August. Of these cases, 294 people had died. The country is in a state of emergency, schools are closed, roads are blocked, communities are quarantined and attempts to bring the disease under control are being crippled by widespread fear.

So for another 21 days I am going to write a blog post every day to raise awareness of the grim challenge confronting Liberians, and to raise funds to support the Red Cross, who I work with collaboratively in my normal life as a PhD social researcher, and who are at the front line fighting the worst known Ebola outbreak in history.

Friday 5 September 2014

Epilogue

From the 13th of August until the 2nd September I wrote 21 blogs to raise awareness about the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, particularly Liberia - one for each day of the incubation period of the virus.  In the time I have been writing, the number of cases of Ebola in Liberia, and the number of deaths, has more than doubled.  There is a greater need than ever for people all over the world to join governments of affected countries, international organisations and NGOs in taking action against Ebola.

The Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea Red Cross Societies are among the best placed organisations to make a difference, as they are known and respected by local people, and supported by hundreds of local volunteers who work in their own communities.  They have put the majority of their usual programmes on hold in order to throw everything that they have got at the fight against Ebola, providing vital personal protective equipment for medical workers, conducting safe burials, raising awareness and changing attitudes towards Ebola in their communities.

If you have appreciated reading this blog, please can I urge you to join others who have gone a step further and made a donation to the Red Cross' Ebola outbreak appeal - simply CLICK HERE to link to my online giving page where you can make a donation easily and securely online.

Thank you so much for reading, for caring, and for giving.

Rachel Ayrton


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