Ebola Volunteers: The Real VIPs (Very Ignored People)

It seems the only thing more viral than Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo is the sheer, unadulterated goodwill of volunteers. These intrepid souls, whose job description includes the delightfully morbid 'safe burial technician,' are apparently less welcome than a surprise tax audit. Experts, ever the optimists, are whispering about a potential 'worst ever' outbreak, probably because they've seen enough pandemic movies to know how this typically ends. Indeed, locals are reportedly opting for the traditional, 'hug the deceased during the viewing' approach, rather than letting these do-gooders in their full hazmat regalia politely whisk away their loved ones. It appears the collective desire for cultural continuity, even if it’s literally killing them, trumps the sterile, sensible advice of health organizations. One must concede, however, that a funeral with fewer epidemiologists does possess a certain *je ne sais quoi*.