Tl;dr of the article

Tl;dr of the article

Earlier tonight it was announced that CUMC physician Craig Spencer was officially diagnosed with Ebola, making him the first patient with Ebola in New York. Although De Blasio earlier told us all to calm down because they’ve got it handled, PrezBo also sent out an email to the Columbia community tonight addressing the issue. PrezBo confirmed that Spencer is currently being treated at the Bellevue Hospital. He also reminds us that the threat of contracting Ebola here at Columbia is very low, but you’re welcome to contact Health Services for answers to any of your paranoid questions.

Read PrezBo’s full email here:

Dear fellow members of the Columbia community:

As you may have seen in the media, Dr. Craig Spencer is being treated for Ebola at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan.  Dr. Spencer, an emergency department physician at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, recently returned from a humanitarian mission with Doctors Without Borders to one of the outbreak areas in Western Africa.  We admire and appreciate all of those willing to do this vital and selfless public health work around the globe.

It’s critical to bear in mind what our public health and infectious disease experts have emphasized – that the risk to people in New York City and at Columbia remains extremely low.  If you or anyone has any concerns, please visit the University’s Ebola Preparedness site or the New York City Department of Health Ebola update page.  You may also contact Student Health Services at 212-854-2284 or Workforce Health and Safety for Faculty/Staff with Hospital Responsibilities at 212-305-7590.

We must keep Dr. Spencer in our thoughts and wish him a full and speedy recovery, as we do the vulnerable populations he serves.  We will also continue to keep the Columbia community informed as we learn more from City, State, and Federal health officials.

Sincerely,
Lee C. Bollinger

The truth via Shutterstock