If you’re wondering where all the TV crews are, they’re at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas stacked mirror to mirror like a band of nomads.
Since Thomas Eric Duncan was first diagnosed with Ebola at Presbyterian Hospital more than two weeks ago, the world has descended on our little corner of the planet.
It’s a little crazy, isn’t it? Of all the places in the United States that Ebola could’ve popped up, it’s right here in East Dallas.
The first healthcare worker to be positively tested for Ebola, Nina Pham, lives in the M Streets. The second healthcare worker diagnosed, Amber Vinson, lives in The Village Apartments. Presbyterian Hospital is right up the road.
All are places with which we’re very familiar, and now the rest of the country is, too.
I’ve been getting texts from friends in other parts of the country, wondering if I’m freaking out, especially since (as I wrote about before) I live in The Village Apartments. But, honestly, most of the Dallasites I meet are fairly clear-headed about the whole ordeal. Actually, my friends who live in other cities and states seem to be more concerned than we are.
I spent some time yesterday chatting with the restaurants across Greenville from The Village Apartments, asking if they’ve noticed any change in business. The overall consensus is that it has been business as usual for the East Dallas food industry. As far as they’ve noticed, people haven’t stopped eating out, even at the places closest to the diagnosed residents.
Shops along Upper Greenville across from The Village Apartments
The folks at i Fratelli Pizza across from The Village say they haven’t noticed any sort of lull in business. If anything, it has been busy. But they do hear a lot of concerned chit-chat from people in line.
Katie Toepfer, a manager at Jamba Juice (where, by the way, Anderson Cooper was spotted yesterday), says they haven’t noticed any difference in the amount of traffic either.
Down the avenue, closer to the M Streets, Chuck Cole, the owner of The Corner Market, says he hasn’t seen any sort of drop in activity. “Sunday was really busy,” he says. “The other days about average for the time of year.”
Even the residents within The Village Apartments seem relatively at ease. Maybe because of the complexes’ efforts to keep everyone as informed as possible. They’ve sent out text alerts, emails and clipped notices to people’s doors.
Management even asked a City of Dallas employee to spend a couple days hanging out at The Village Country Club to answer questions. Plus, a handful of volunteers have been handing out informational packets from the CDC to anyone interested, which includes a number for a 24-hour call center: 972.692.2783.
Although all Village residents were told the City of Dallas employee would be there, she says there hasn’t been an overwhelming amount of concerned residents rushing to the country club to pepper her with questions. Sure, some neighbors are worried, but mostly people just want to know if it’s safe to use the gym (which, by the way, was cleaned twice.)
At this point, most neighbors seem to understand that the chance of catching Ebola is very, very, very slim. Most people are just concerned about the healthcare workers who have been diagnosed, and the others who were also in direct contact with Duncan during the later stages of his illness.
