WHITE HOUSE VIDEO MESSAGE: Fighting against Ebola

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 25, 2014

WHITE HOUSE VIDEO MESSAGE: Fighting against Ebola

WASHINGTON, DC – In this week’s address, Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council Cecilia Muñoz discussed the measures we are taking to respond to Ebola cases at home, while containing the epidemic at its source in West Africa.  This week we continued to focus on domestic preparedness, with the creation of new CDC guidelines and the announcement of new travel measures ensuring all travelers from the three affected countries are directed to and screened at one of five airports. 

The audio of the address and video of the message will be available online HERE.

Remarks of Cecilia Muñoz

Spanish Weekly Address

The White House

October 25, 2014

Hi everyone, my name is Cecilia Muñoz, Director of the White House Domestic Policy. I want to share some basic data about Ebola. First, Ebola cannot be contracted easily. It cannot be contracted through casual contact with someone, or solely riding the metro or bus. The only way to contract this virus is to come into direct contact with the bodily fluids of someone who is experiencing the symptoms. That’ the science. Those are the facts.

It’s important to remember that of the seven Americans treated so far for Ebola—the five who contracted it in West Africa, plus the two nurses from Dallas—all seven have survived. Let me repeat this again: seven patients were treated; and all seven lived. Now we are focused on making sure that the patient in New York also receives the best medical attention.

This week we continue strengthening our efforts across the country. New CDC guidelines and outreach is helping hospitals improve training and protect their health care workers.

New travel measures are now directing all travelers from the three affected countries in West Africa into five U.S. airports where we’re conducting additional screening. Here at the White House, our new Ebola response coordinator is working to ensure a seamless response across the federal government. And we’ll continue to take whatever steps are needed as we work to ensure the safety and health of the American people.

Here’s the bottom line. Patients can beat this disease. We can beat this disease. But we have to stay vigilant. We have to work together at every level—federal, state and local. And we have to keep leading the global response, because the best way to stop this disease, the best way to keep Americans safe, is to stop it at its source—in West Africa.

And we have to be guided by the science—the facts, not fear. Yesterday, New Yorkers showed us the way. They did what they do every day—jumping on buses, riding the subway, crowding into elevators, heading into work, visiting the parks. That spirit—that determination to carry on—is part of what makes New York one of the great cities in the world. And that’s the spirit we can all learn as we meet this challenge together.

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