Army Memo Claims Hand-Washing And Gas Masks Will Prevent Ebola Infection
BETHESDA, Md. — Regular hand washing and eating a good hearty breakfast are among the preventive steps recommended for controlling the outbreak of Ebola, according to a new memorandum from the U.S. Army's biodefense laboratory.
The memo from the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease (USAMRIID), which Duffel Blog obtained, advises soldiers and Marines heading into Liberia to maintain proper hygiene to include brushing teeth as well as shaving any and all mustaches. It also advises troops to get weekly haircuts and keep their hands out of their pockets to help stop the virus' spread.
The document comes as more than 3,000 US troops deploy to West Africa to catch the virus, which has so far infected almost 10 American citizens.
Once troops make their way into the Ebola "hot zone" however, protective measures become more extreme, advising the regular wear of the M-40 field protective mask and outerwear garments — known as "MOPP Gear" — which the memo says is "100 percent …
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Duffel Blog to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.