Earlier today, we interviewed Jamie Garrett of our sister station Newsradio 1400 KTEM in Killeen/Temple, Texas. The folks around that area - including Jamie - are dealing with an Ebola scare and it's closed several schools. Jamie gave us a firsthand account of how everyone is dealing with the situation there.

Folks in the town of Belton, TX, were recently alerted that they had a connection to the second nurse that is now battling Ebola in a Dallas hospital. On the nurse’s return flight from Cleveland Monday, two students in the Belton School District were on the plane. As a precaution, schools in that town were closed. Jamie's 6-year-old son attends on of the schools and he said while the overall risk is rather small, he did have plans to pull his son out of school for a few weeks. This is the e-mail parents, including Jamie, received the other day:

Dear Parents:

Your child’s health and safety is our top priority at Sparta Elementary School. When issues of concern are brought to our attention, we want to share that information with you.

This afternoon we were made aware that one of our students traveled on Frontier Airlines Flight #1143 from Cleveland to Dallas on Monday and attended classes on Tuesday and Wednesday. Another passenger on that flight has since been diagnosed with the Ebola virus. 

It is important to know that individuals are not contagious until symptoms appear. 
According to statements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Frontier Airlines, the passenger did not show any symptoms during the flight, and the risk of exposure for other passengers on the flight was low.

The student who traveled on the flight is not currently showing any symptoms and is being monitored by the Bell County Health Department and the Texas Department of State Health Services. Because of this, there is no imminent risk to your child.

Jamie gave Scott and Ava of WPG Talk Radio 1450AM an account of how he and people in the town have been handling the situation:

More From WPG Talk Radio 95.5 FM