Bloom shares to E! News about his first trip to Liberia last month, especially about the country's efforts to stop the spread of Ebola.
- Apr 9, 2015
AceShowbiz - Appointed a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF back in 2009, Orlando Bloom says he is honored to be joining the organization's fight against Ebola. Last month he paid a visit to Liberia to witness firsthand how people in the country work hand in hand to eliminate the disease.
In an exclusive interview with E! News, Bloom eagerly shared plenty of things from his trip. "This was my first trip to Liberia. UNICEF invited me to observe the life-saving efforts led by local communities to tackle the Ebola virus. It is truly a remarkable example of how mobilizing young people and community leaders can control the spread of an epidemic," admitted the actor.
"Liberia had gone over two weeks with no new confirmed cases, so I wasn't scared. Once I was there I saw all the precautions in place. For example, we weren't allowed to enter any building-schools, health centers, government buildings, even my hotel-without washing our hands in chlorinated water and getting our temperature taken. During the drives to rural areas, there are checkpoints along the roads where the same protocols are in place, hand washing and temperature taking."
"There is an unofficial-but actually everyone does it-no touch policy. No hugs, no handshakes-instead, everyone greets each other with an elbow bump," he went on revealing. When asked about the memorable things he had there, Bloom replied, "Trying on the Personal Protective Equipment-or PPE as it is more commonly called-which is what the health care workers have to wear to deal with Ebola patients."
"First you put on the boots, and then you put on your first pair of gloves, then the zip-up white jumpsuit. The next thing to put on is a light hood to keep your hair in place. Then you put on another hood, which is attached to the jumpsuit. Next are the mouth and nose masks, then goggles, and then another hood to make sure there are no openings between the goggles and the hood. You then put on a second pair of gloves and at last an apron," he recalled. "It's impossible to see who is in the suit, so they write your name on the apron. On your shoulder they write the time for when you are fully dressed because you shouldn't be in the suit too long. There is a buddy system in place to put the whole suit on to ensure everything sits in the right place and that there are no gaps where the virus can enter."
"I can honestly say that once I had it on, it was definitely one of the more claustrophobic and uncomfortable experiences I've had," Bloom told E! News. "It is extremely hot in Liberia, and those suits are not made of a breathable fabric."
