After Ebola: Preparing for a Pandemic

The most contagious and deadly diseases in the world could be on our doorstep overnight. Would we recognize the symptoms? Could we treat the disease or keep it from spreading? An elite, specially trained group at the University of Nebraska Medical Center mobilized to face this reality late in the summer of 2014, when three patients infected with the Ebola virus were transferred to the hospital for treatment. The unit spent 10 years preparing for patients with dangerous, highly contagious diseases, but this was no dress rehearsal. It was a worst-case scenario – with possible deadly consequences. We examine preparedness and planning for a potential pandemic requiring quarantine and containment and lessons learned when those plans were put into action.