Should you trust government assurances when it comes to deadly health threats?

When there’s a serious health concern in a community, should you automatically trust the government when it gives the all clear, or should you continue taking extra precaution?

Authorities lifted a boil water advisory Monday on Mercer Island after a test came back clear for E. coli, only to reinstate the ban on Thursday. KIRO Radio’s Brandi Kruse reports this obviously raised some questions.

“The natural question was: were your tests earlier in the week wrong? They can’t say that they were wrong. But they can say that it is very likely that the positive E. coli test that came [Thursday], came from the same source that the one did that caused the boil advisory to go into effect last week,” said Kruse. “That essentially means that it’s very possible that the water source here has been contaminated with E. coli for the entire week, even after the city gave the all clear on Monday.”

On Friday, further tests of the water supply came back showing no signs of E. coli, but even if officials lift the advisory, Ron & Don Show host Don O’Neill said he wouldn’t rush out and drink a glass of water.

“Until they find the source, I would keep boiling your water,” said Don. “I would not listen to city officials. I would keep boiling your water and wait until they find the source.”

People in Dallas, in the community impacted by the first case of Ebola in the U.S., are also facing a deadly health threat. Ron and Don wonder, similarly, if those folks should be trusting all the information they’re getting from the government and health officials.

“I think what concerns you is whenever you’re told, whether it’s E. coli on Mercer Island or Ebola in Dallas, when the government comes out and says, ‘Hey, we got this. You have nothing to worry about.’ That doesn’t cause me to worry, but that causes concern,” said Don. “I’ll tell you this, if I lived at those particular apartments right now where that gentleman [infected with Ebola] was staying, I wouldn’t be staying in those apartments.”

Concerns over Ebola kept some Dallas schoolchildren home after school officials identified five students who may have come into contact with the first person in the U.S. to be diagnosed with the virus.

Ron and Don fully agree with parents taking that precaution if they feel it’s necessary.

“I don’t blame anyone who is erring on the side of caution,” said co-host Ron Upshaw.

Don also understands why people might not entirely trust government assurances when it comes to something that could be potentially so dangerous to their loved ones.

“It seems like some of these officials down in Dallas don’t get it,” Don said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.