Ebola Quarantine

“White House Presses States to Reverse Mandatory Ebola Quarantine Orders”

By: Marc Santora and Michael D. Shear

Source: New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/27/nyregion/ebola quarantine.html?ref=science&_r=1

The White House has begun pressuring states to take back their mandatory order that requires people returning from Africa, who had been in contact with Ebola patients, to be quarantined. The first person to be required to remain under quarantine after returning from Africa was Kaci Hickox. Kaci has not displayed any symptoms while being kept under quarantine. Due to this event, she has begun to challenge the state of New Jersey. In addition, federal officials to do not wish to argue with state governors about this issue. They believe that the decisions made by the governors were rushed because people were beginning to panic.

The proposition to a mandatory quarantine against potential Ebola victims was begun after Craig Spencer, a doctor, was diagnosed with Ebola. After it was confirmed that he had Ebola, his condition began to worsen because the virus quickly spread throughout the rest of his body. The United States government had initially intended on providing a safe and comfortable life for the people diagnosed with Ebola. They were going to allow them to have monitors in order to communicate with their families and receive proper, daily meals.

However, the governors of several states made it mandatory that people returning from Africa must also report their temperature to health officials. They must also give the names and address of their relatives and provide information on where they will be staying in the next three weeks. In retaliation, people are bringing awareness to the fact that Ebola in transferred through bodily fluids. In their argument, they think that people that do not show any symptoms should not be quarantined, since they cannot transfer the virus to others.

This event will hurt the connection between many families if it continues to spread. However, it is safer for states to contain the virus before it spreads rapidly. People need to realize that a few individuals with Ebola will spread the virus, no matter how careful they are. Due to the fact that they do not show any symptoms, does not mean that they are free to roam around the country doing whatever they want to do because they may still carry the virus without awareness.