Global risk of Ebola spread remains low, says infectious diseases professor

Added: 2026-05-22

[00:00:04]Violence erupts [music] in Congo after police fire warning shots during a burial dispute linked to a suspected [music] Ebola death, while governments across Asia tighten border screening and quarantine measures as health authorities race [music] to contain the outbreak.

[00:00:21]And we go straight this hour to Dr. William Schaffner, who's a leading expert in infectious diseases, vaccine policy, and public health, and he's based at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Uh Dr. Schaffner, it's good of you to talk with us. Um we know your your calming voice generally during infectious disease scares, but with Ebola back in the headlines, tell us, are you still urging the public to stay calm, or is there anything about this particular outbreak that makes you more concerned?

[00:00:53]Well, I'm certainly concerned, Yasmin, for uh the Congo and its neighboring countries because the uh virus is still continuing to spread in a substantial way there. It will take some time for the World Health Organization, the ministries of health of those countries, and the international community to contain this now rapidly spreading outbreak. However, in the developed world, I think the risk is very low. You know, this is at everything that seems to the contrary, not a very easy virus to transmit. The individual has to be very sick, and the person has to have close intimate contact with that person or the body of someone who's recently deceased. The people at greatest risk are actually the caregivers. They're the caregivers at home because they're not trained. In other parts of the world, the caregivers use infection control precautions, and they can care for these people safely and appropriately.

[00:01:58]Dr. Schaffner, okay, you've answered part of my my concern, if you like, you know, the part about the national and and regional if you like concern as the WHO points out, but it also issued a public health emergency of international concern. So, that word is the one that worries me a bit. What is a PHEIC meant to do or kick into motion?

[00:02:23]And what's has been the response so far?

[00:02:29]Well, I think the response so far is to draw attention to this issue and to garner resources directed at the control of the problem at the source. And that's the issue. The reason it's an international of international concern is that it is currently spreading and it's spreading to contiguous states.

[00:02:51]It's not under control at the present time. And that's got the WHO's attention. And by issuing that proclamation, it's directed the attention of the world to this problem and asking for contributions to help.

[00:03:07]And has the world paid attention?

[00:03:09]Meaning, I mean, look, after COVID-19 Dr. many governments, the WHO vowed to put in place early warning systems, you know, to coordinate, share resources, and so forth. We've had the hantavirus, that's not completely resolved. We obviously have Ebola now. Um what are your observations so far?

[00:03:30]Well, this is a very remote area where it started. There's partic- uh there's political turbulence there. The medical facilities are, shall we say, modest.

[00:03:41]So, it's going to take a lot of resources and attention and and a lot of local education about how this virus is spread. It will require um collaboration from the local leaders to actually alter traditional quasi-religious burial practices because when the person is die, they have Ebola virus all over them and if you're cleansing the body out of great respect for the departed, that's actually a highly contagious situation.

[00:04:18]Now, Dr. Schaffner, there's a huge international event happening in your country very soon. It's the World Cup and DR Congo is one of the teams heading to the Americas. Now, the team has actually moved its training base to Belgium. They've canceled a fan farewell in Kinshasa amid this outbreak. But when it comes to FIFA, when it comes to the host countries' health authorities, what should they be doing now to manage the risk responsibly without fueling unnecessary alarm or stigma?

[00:04:49]Well, of course, with so many people coming to the host country, the health care facilities have been geared up because there will be many illnesses and injuries that occur. This only adds to the issue, but I think the risk of importation continues to be very low. If we screen people who come into this country from those affected areas and they are without symptoms, should they develop symptoms and we put them in a health care facility in isolation precautions, there should be very little spread.

[00:05:24]Remember, the West African outbreak that occurred about a decade ago was very, very large. There was virtually no spread outside of that area to the developed world.

[00:05:39]Dr. Schaffner, I'm wondering if social media has played a role here, whether it could help, I suppose it could have helped, or whether it's it's a a hindrance in terms of efforts to to raise awareness across the spectrum of issues, including vaccines and infectious diseases.

[00:05:58]You spoke about the host country. I imagine the awareness is perhaps greater there, but elsewhere you talked about the situation in the Congo in terms of traditional practices and and traditional burial practices in particular as well.

[00:06:15]Well, when you whenever you have an outbreak of an infectious disease, the single most important, number one way to address that problem is through clear, sustained, science-based understandable communication. So, communication is critical. The social media are a coin with two sides, right? You can have a lot of good information out there in the social media, and as you know, there's a lot of baloney that can misinformation and even disinformation that can go out at the same time that can confuse people. So, clear, sustained, understandable communication can put things into perspective, relieve anxiety, and call attention to where the real problems are.

[00:07:10]Doctor, let's talk about vaccines now.

[00:07:12]And if you were to look at the case of Australia, the diphtheria outbreak, it shows that vaccines are only as effective as the systems around them, like uptake and surveillance. But with this Wungunya strain, it isn't as straightforward as we understand. So, what does this tell us about the practical limits of vaccines, and what else has to be in place to stop outbreaks from spreading?

[00:07:36]Well, I like to quote a friend of mine, Yasmin, who likes to tell us that vaccines don't prevent disease, vaccination prevents disease. And as I like to say, vaccine in the refrigerator never yet prevented a single case of infection.

[00:07:52]So, the issue is not the vaccine. We've got that. Actually, that's the easy part. The trick now is how to get vaccines out and have the population to which the vaccine is directed actually accept the vaccination. That requires a lot of work and once again, careful communication with not just to, but with the with the population you're trying to reach. You have to listen as much as you talk.

[00:08:22]And finally, before we let you go, Dr. Schafner, this is a question that we have to keep asking given the concern that Ebola has as raised around the world, you know, what should we be doing? You know, how should we be traveling if at all? What can we do?

[00:08:41]Well, I think first of all, we should all be a interested in this and watch what's happening. We should be informed and then as we travel, take care.

[00:08:51]Obviously, there are concerns about traveling to the affected countries.

[00:08:57]I would not recommend people go to those affected countries at the present time.

[00:09:01]But beyond that, the risks are extraordinarily low. I think certainly the northern hemisphere can look forward to a happy summer and the southern hemisphere to a happy winter.

[00:09:14]All right. Dr. Schafner, on that note, we thank you so much for talking to us.

[00:09:19]Dr. William Schafner is professor of infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Thank you, sir.