As news of the first diagnosed case of Ebola on U.S. soil hit the wire, the popular social platform Reddit was casting the net across its readership to find epidemiologists, scientists and infectious-disease specialists to field questions over the deadly virus — including questions apparently posed by emergency-room insiders.

Reddit drew responses from graduate students as well as some who described their roles as professionals in the health field. Some conclusions: tThe U.S. isn't at risk of an “outbreak” along the lines of the 1995 movie of that name, but hand sanitizers are likely to see renewed popularity.

Here are some of the key questions lobbed at Reddit’s self-selected expert panel and their answers.

What public health factors make the prevention and treatment of an Ebola outbreak more manageable in the U.S. than Africa?

“Vic_n_Ven,” who identified himself or herself as a grad student in pathology and epidemiology, said that in the U.S., at the moment, “we can out-doctor Ebola faster than it can infect new hosts.”

Some reasons given: The U.S. has many more doctors and nurses and a huge stock of disposable personal protective gear, and Americans also have stronger immune systems that haven’t been compromised — by, for example, malaria, tuberculosis, HIV and parasitic infections — as has been the case in affected African nations. Another reason: Americans don’t handle their dead, eliminating that traditional behavior’s role in the transmission cycle. “Someone who [has] died of an infectious disease,” offered “Vic_n_Ven,” is not likely in the U.S. to be “bathed, dressed, cleaned up, kissed, bid farewell to by the entire family — the medicos take care of that.”

Ebola Virus: First case diagnosed in the U.S.

Anyone who wants to see how a nascent outbreak would play out in the U.S. should look to Nigeria, which has halted Ebola’s spread thanks to a “solid medical infrastructure.”

“PapaMancer,” identified as an academic biochemist with colleagues who work on Ebola, posted on Reddit the view that public health officials in the U.S. have the manpower and information resources to do “very good contact tracing,” stopping any infection in its tracks.

How long does the Ebola virus last on various surfaces?

A self-described veterinary student with the Reddit handle “Avboden” said there is no conclusive answer as to the virus’s viability outside host organisms: “In general though in cold environments (around 4 degrees Celsius or lower) it has been found to remain viable for an extremely long period of time, 50+ days.” At typical room temperatures, according to “Avboden,” it can remain in liquids or dried material for up to 23 days.

The key, though, is direct contact. ”So if you are dealing with blankets soaked in bodily fluids? Sure, that is a potential issue. But sneezing on a doorknob, for example, not really much of a concern,” said vet-in-training. “PapaMancer” said that, according to colleagues, the virus starts to degrade a short time it is outside a body, and sunlight also acts as a killer. But, again. on cloth and in cold temperatures, Ebola has been found to be active for up to a month, echoed “PapaMancer.”

That question led to another issue raised by “stonedsketches,” whose given biographical information includes a father working in the health field. The Reddit user expressed concern about biohazard waste. Ebola patients, according to “stonedsketches,” produce about 60 pounds of waste via vomit, feces and literally every object they touch. “Vic_n_Ven” responded that incineration of waste is actually a problem that is not being thought through and is, in fact, a huge problem in West Africa. “All of that personal protective gear has to go somewhere and it represents a red-hot source of contamination,” said Vic_n_Ven.

How likely is it the Texas patient infected someone else in flight?

Reddit user “ForgottenPhoenix,” identified as a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, had this to say: “Unless this person’s body fluids somehow came into contact with another person, it is highly unlikely. Ebola is neither airborne nor waterborne disease.” And the chances these bodily floods came in contact with another? “Forgotten Phoenix” responded that contact have to have been made when the person was actively contagious for the disease to be spread.

How long it will take all ERs to institute a protocol for patients presenting with fevers, and not just those who have traveled internationally?

This question was asked by Reddit user “smeeee”, a self-identified ER doctor, who said that “even a couple of weeks ago [experts in the U.S. were] shaking their heads at the levels of alarm. ...Now it is getting serious.” Self-described clinical lab scientist “mobilehypo” said personal protective equipment, including droplet protection for anyone with a fever, should be mandatory. “If I had to be drawing blood down in Dallas at the moment I would be triple gloving it,” said “mobilehypo.”

“Avboden” chimed in that it is “unlikely in the U.S. that all ERs will need an implemented protocol/precautions for all patients presenting with a few signs or symptoms in regard to Ebola specifically.”

“Rprzes,” identified as an ER nurse, said Ebola screening implemented 90 days ago involves querying whether a patient has been out of the country in the last 21 days and has visited certain countries. In general with questionnaires, though, patients are known to lie out of fear, said “Rprzes,” and even so, they’d be in a waiting room for up to seven hours. “People who do not work in an ER setting don’t understand how at risk we are. I cannot tell you the last time anything in that waiting room was bleached.” And patients with infectious illnesses use general rest rooms even against the advice of ER staff.

What’s the best protection, especially if you live in Dallas?

Unless you came into bodily contact with fluids, there is nothing to worry about, said “ForgottenPhoenix.” Hand washing before eating, after using the bathroom, and touching one’s nose or eyes is the easiest and best defense, wrote Reddit user “mobilehypo.” The general public has less reason to worry than health-care workers do.

Another Reddit thread veered into a discussion about hand sanitizer and soap. “Mister_Bloodvessel,” identified as a grad student in pharmaceutical sciences, said ethanol, found in hand sanitizers, breaks Ebola’s so-called viral envelope — an outer structure that covers the protective protein shell of a virus. That makes Ebola unlike norovirus, which is largely unaffected by hand sanitizer. And what concentration? Self-described biology master’s student “cjbrigol” said the sanitizer needs to have an ethanol concentration of between 60% and 95%, adding that most come in at around 67%.