Tampa General Hospital says it’s ready if Ebola makes it to the Bay area and the Hillsborough County Health Department is urging residents to stay calm.
Bay area health experts say they've been preparing for Ebola for months.
"I think we are both ready and given the nature of the threat I feel very confident," said Dr. Doug Holt, Director of Hillsborough County Department of Health.
But Dr. Dough Holt also said it's unlikely an Ebola patient will be from the Bay area.
"Right now, I would not be concerned,” said Holt. “Ebola is a very localized problem. The risk to us is going to be on individual cases.”
That plan to respond goes above and beyond, according to Infection Disease Director Peggy Thompson.
She says the patient will be isolated, and put in a room with negative air flow.
"They're designed so that the air moves from the hallway,” said Peggy Thompson/Dir. Infection Prevention, TGH. “The common areas into the patient's room so that the airflow is never exhausted out into the common air that other people would be breathing."
While Dr. Holt emphasizes Ebola is not an airborne disease, this is an extra precaution.
So is the protective gear for caretakers, like disposable, protective full body suits, thick, high-filtration tight-fitting masks, two pairs of heavy-duty chemotherapy-rated gloves, and a face shield to protect from any splashing.
"We felt if we went above and beyond and protected them from head to toe from fluids that they would feel comfortable and they could go in and care for the patient without fear of exposure to themselves," said Thompson.
Preparing to protect and treat, while knowing who could potentially be a patient.
"We want to be looking, screening, and considering for testing people who basically look pretty well, except they've been to one of the affected countries, they have a fever and fit that profile,” said Dr. Holt.