Seeing Hoarding: Buried Alive on TLC never fails to freak me the hell out. I know, some of the people with these tendencies, they don't have family or friends to rely on and help them out. However, I just can't fathom living in a mess of belongings and filth like that. The germs! The possible disease!
Get this: a Houston home that was being prepped for an episode of the show is now quarantined because three women cleaning the space began to feel ill and were thought to have contracted hantavirus. You've heard of the virus, right? It's already making headlines for killing three visitors to Yosemite National Park this summer. Carried by rodents and spread to humans via urine and droppings, hantavirus is often fatal.
I'm sorry, but I don't think any aspect of "entertainment" is worth putting people at such serious risk. Heck, I actually know someone who had hantavirus. Let me tell you, it's absolutely frightening.
First things first, the good news. The three crew members are fine, and are hantavirus-free. Still, though, I wonder how the execs at TLC would have handled that situation. I'm even more curious as to if they see this occurrence as an eye-opener?
My friend who had the disease is a social worker. He had contracted the disease after helping a hoarder clean her house over a five-day period. On life support in the hospital for more than week, my friend, just like these women, was sick because he was trying to help. I understand that someone needs to hep these people, both to clean their environment and on a mental health level. To be real: I'm always surprised we don't hear more about the hoarders themselves getting sick.
However, I think instead of taking advantage of these people for entertainment purposes, it's about time that state health departments and the CDC step in more often. No one's life is worth risking for "good" TV.
Do you know anyone who's a hoarder? Have you ever known someone with hantavirus?
Image via jayneandd/Flickr
