Debate Heats Up Over Mandatory Quarantines For People Who Are Not Sick
NPR reports that legal experts contend that certain states may be going too far. In addition, The Associated Press examines how the Ebola protocols for returning military and civilian workers are different.
NPR:
Is It Legal To Quarantine Someone Who's Not Sick?
State and local governments have the legal authority to impose mandatory quarantines. But law experts are debating whether some states' new Ebola quarantine policies may be stepping over the line. (Stein, 10/30)
The Associated Press:
Soldier Or Civilian, Ebola Protocols Not The Same
A U.S. soldier returning from an Ebola response mission in West Africa would have to spend 21 days being monitored, isolated in a military facility away from family and the broader population. A returning civilian doctor or nurse who directly treated Ebola patients? Depends. The Pentagon has put in place the most stringent Ebola security measures yet, going beyond even the toughest measures adopted by states such as New York, New Jersey and Maine and much further than the guidance set by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for travelers returning from the afflicted region. (10/31)
The New York Times:
From Governors, A Mix Of Hard-Line Acts And Conciliation Over Ebola
In Louisiana, Gov. Bobby Jindal, a Republican, issued a stern warning on Thursday to medical experts coming to an international conference on tropical diseases that they should stay away if they had been in Ebola-affected countries in the past 21 days, and that those who defied would be confined to their hotel rooms. But in New York, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, a Democrat, who last week called for mandatory quarantines for health care workers returning from West Africa, sounded a more conciliatory note, joining Mayor Bill de Blasio to announce financial incentives to encourage health professionals to go to West Africa to treat Ebola patients. (Bidgood and Zernike, 10/30)
The New York Times:
In New York, Protections Offered For Medical Workers Joining Ebola Fight
New York officials announced on Thursday that they would offer employee protection and financial guarantees for health care workers joining the fight against the Ebola outbreak in three West African nations. The announcement was an effort to alleviate concerns that the state’s mandatory quarantine policy could deter desperately needed workers from traveling overseas. (Santora and Hartocollis, 10/30)
The Associated Press:
Life Goes On For Nurse In Standoff Over Ebola
She has rebelled against the restrictions, saying that her rights are being violated and that she is no threat to others because she has no symptoms. She tested negative last weekend for Ebola, though it can take days for the virus to reach detectable levels. State officials said that they were seeking a court order to require a quarantine through Nov. 10, the end of the 21-day incubation period for the Ebola virus. But it was unclear Thursday whether the state had gone to court or whether there had been any progress in negotiations aimed at a compromise. (10/31)
