Wednesday, 29 October 2014

I will NOT Quarantine Myself - U.S Nurse Who Spent Time Caring for Ebola Patients in Sierra Leone

Kaci Hickox, a nurse who spent 5 weeks caring for Ebola patients in Sierra Leone was quarantined in a tent against her will in New Jersey. She then got a lawyer and slammed the quarantine system ,calling it imprisonment and a violation of right to freedom of movement.
She was released after testing negative but was and told to observe a 21 day quarantine at her home in Maine ..However, she insists she won't do that ,and vowed to fight the quarantine policy in court if necessary.

She hired a lawyer and spoke out about her isolation and was then transported to Maine.Maine officials have said that they would ask Hickox to quarantine herself at home until the passage of 21 days from her last possible contact with an Ebola patient, adding that they would make it involuntary if she resisted.While asked by Matt Lauer, the 'today' show host if she planned to follow guidelines and finish that quarantine on November 10, she said: "I don't plan on sticking to the guidelines,".
"I remain appalled by these home quarantine policies that have been forced upon me.

"Maine Governor Paul Le Page has said the state would work with Hickox on a plan to isolate her for the 21-day period.One of Hickox's lawyers, Norm Siegel, told Lauer that officials had until Thursday to adjust their approach, and if they tried to physically apprehend Hickox once she stops obeying the quarantine, her legal team would take the matter to court.On Tuesday, the state's health commissioner without naming Hickox warned that the state would force the quarantine if she didn't isolate herself willingly.

"If an individual who came in direct contact with Ebola patients has returned to Maine and is not willing to avoid public contact and stay in their home voluntarily during the period they are at some risk, we will take additional measures and pursue appropriate authority to ensure they make no public contact," Maine Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew told reporters Tuesday.

Follow Me On Twitter & Instagram: @effiongeton  

2 comments: