Fear, duty and the moralities of care: The Ebola 2014 threat

Abstract

Ebola has previously been predominantly isolated to African nations, with limited impact in OECD countries. In 2014 Ebola gained international visibility, based largely on the threat of it ‘moving west’. Here we examine a group of Australian health professionals’ accounts of the Ebola threat including their fears around exposure; the moralities underpinning their responses; the role of othering in framing the threat; and the significance of relations of mistrust. We posit that the threat of Ebola unsettled professional expectations (duty, sacrifice and exposure to risk), rights (choice and safety) and certainty (evidence or knowledge to guide practice). In making sense of the 2014 Ebola threat, the participants articulate dilemmas around human value, the contingency of professional duty and care, and transnational responsibility.