Maine nurse won't observe Ebola quarantine - your take?

[JTScribe]

Lawyer: Maine Nurse Who Treated Ebola Patients In West Africa Won?t Observe State?s Quarantine « CBS Connecticut

Part of me sees where she's coming from but another part of my says, it's a couple of weeks, err toward the side of caution so you don't turn into Typhoid Mary for pete's sake.

I'm sure given the publicity of the case she'd have no problem with creature comforts. Heck, Netflix or Redbox would probably set her up with free service to get the advertising. It just doesn't seem like such a huge sacrifice as she's making it out to be.

 

[Expat]

I am really getting tired of her whining.

 

[KLB]

I'm getting tired of all the hand wringing by people and sensationalism by the media.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

It's a disease that's deadly in a large portion of healthy people. I'm pretty sure it would just outright kill me. She, as a person, is potentially deadly to me, and I seriously don't appreciate that. I can see not liking a quarantine, but I would personally never inflict potential death on people. I could chill in a hotel room for a month. She needs to stand down, and if she won't stay in a room with a nurse on duty, she needs to be in a cell.

 

[KittySlayer]

She is pretty so she is used to getting her way. She says she will ignore the voluntary quarantine which seems to justify the approach taken by Christie of locking her in a tent.

Her case will be splattered all over the media for some time to come because she is pretty and supports the administration's haphazard approach. Remember the blond cheerleader that went missing (killed) on a Caribbean island after sneaking away from her chaperones for a booty call? Every time they had a slow news week the media would splash her picture up on the screen. If it had been some pimple faced skinny teenage boy that got rolled and killed by a hooker you would never have heard a word about it.

 

[churchmouse]

It's a disease that's deadly in a large portion of healthy people. I'm pretty sure it would just outright kill me. She, as a person, is potentially deadly to me, and I seriously don't appreciate that. I can see not liking a quarantine, but I would personally never inflict potential death on people. I could chill in a hotel room for a month. She needs to stand down, and if she won't stay in a room with a nurse on duty, she needs to be in a cell.

I could give a **** what people think...............she is deadly until cleared. Ride it out.
This would kill me as well.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

When we don't self regulate, act responsibly, we invite legislation and the force of government.

 

[Birds Away]

Well Officer, she posed an imminent risk to me and her actions put me in fear for my life, so... (purple as necessary)

 

[HoughMade]

When we don't self regulate, act responsibly, we invite legislation and the force of government.

Yep.

I would think that it would be basic human decency to voluntarily participate in a reasonable quarantine. It is folly to suppose that we understand, 100%, how this disease can be spread. It makes sense to observe a level of precaution which is likely more than necessary.

The libertine is the greatest enemy freedom could have.

 

[ghuns]

I would think that it would be basic human decency to voluntarily participate in a reasonable quarantine.

I too have tired of her whining, but was her previous situation, a tent in a NJ hospital parking lot, reasonable? A county jails drunk tank would have offered better accommodations.

I applaud the people who volunteer to try and help people around the world in situations like this. But couldn't the organizations who run these relief efforts make some effort to help out their own volunteers when they come home?

 

[JTScribe]

Her home state of Maine is going to court to enforce the quarantine.

 

[rambone]

I applaud the people who volunteer to try and help people around the world in situations like this. But couldn't the organizations who run these relief efforts make some effort to help out their own volunteers when they come home?

Maybe they didn't deem it necessary, having actual experience with the disease. Maybe it already took place in Africa!

Leave it to politicians and the fanatical media to drum up fear and watch people clamor for a suspension of due process.

 

[JTScribe]

Maybe they didn't deem it necessary, having actual experience with the disease. Maybe it already took place in Africa!

Leave it to politicians and the fanatical media to drum up fear and watch people clamor for a suspension of due process.

Yes, because the guys at CDC and USAAMRID treat it as a level-4 pathogen just for giggles. Tons of doctors treating it in the field have died from it. You'd almost wonder why MSF doesn't take more steps to make its docs safer.

 

[eldirector]

Just a random though... Let her run around all she wants. If she DOES infect someone, hit her with reckless endangerment. If they die, manslaughter, or even murder. Then, let the civil suits fly.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Just a random though... Let her run around all she wants. If she DOES infect someone, hit her with reckless endangerment. If they die, manslaughter, or even murder. Then, let the civil suits fly.

How will you be able to prove the germs fell off of her and infected anybody else? We don't know with certainty, beyond a reasonable doubt, nobody else has the disease and it wasn't their germs that caused the deaths.

 

[eldirector]

How will you be able to prove the germs fell off of her and infected anybody else? We don't know with certainty, beyond a reasonable doubt, nobody else has the disease and it wasn't their germs that caused the deaths.

The courts seem to manage "beyond a reasonable doubt" every day. They can handle it.

 

[rambone]

How will you be able to prove the germs fell off of her and infected anybody else? We don't know with certainty, beyond a reasonable doubt, nobody else has the disease and it wasn't their germs that caused the deaths.

Proof clearly doesn't matter when people demand government protect them from nature.

 

[dusty88]

I applaud the people who volunteer to try and help people around the world in situations like this. But couldn't the organizations who run these relief efforts make some effort to help out their own volunteers when they come home?

They do! MSF pays them an additional month's salary because they don't want them returning to the healthcare system. MSF thinks the self-monitoring and regular activities are acceptable, but nobody really knows when the disease becomes contagious.

MSF Protocols for Staff Returning from Ebola-Affected Countries | MSF USA

Excerpt: "If returned staff members do not live within four hours of appropriate medical facilities, MSF will ensure they are accommodated appropriately during the 21-day incubation period." and "... returned staff members are discouraged from returning to work during the 21 day period. Field assignments are extremely challenging and people need to regain energy. In addition, people who return to work too quickly could catch a simple bacterial or viral infection (common cold, bronchitis, flu etc.) that may have symptoms similar to Ebola. This can create needless stress and anxiety for the person involved and his/her colleagues. For this reason, MSF continues to provide salaries to returned staff for the 21-day period."
"

 

[dusty88]

Maybe they didn't deem it necessary, having actual experience with the disease. Maybe it already took place in Africa!

MSF has had at least 22 infected staff members since March. 3 of these were healthcare workers that traveled internationally. Thus the presumption is the other 19 were infected locally, not necessarily at the treatment centers.
3 out of 700 is about 1/2%

Of course, 700 isn't enough to make a scientific statement about. But 1/2% infection rate amongst people wearing full protective gear ,and managed by the most experienced group in the world, is potentially significant for a condition that has a 50-70% mortality rate and probably costs $500K to $1 million to treat a case by US standards. If she would happen to be contagious before she was aware, the people she is exposed to won't have protective gear.

This nurse appears to be sticking to her outrage and possibly thinks she is making a valiant stand for healthcare workers. I think she is hurting the cause she claims to care about.

If I were her friend, I would advise her to say "I don't think a home quarantine is necessary. But I will respect the concern of the public and stay home for the 21 days".

Her current behavior is going to cause loss of support for MSF and cause people to demand that more states ENFORCE a quarantine, which is exactly what she does not want.

Her job right now is to show that Ebola is not so easily spread (she doesn't have it, her boyfriend won't get it etc) and be a voice of reason. Perception matters. She is screwing it up big time, and the close timing with Dr Spenser's behavior is an aggravating factor.

 

[5.56'aholic]

She has been mandated to stay quarantined. If she breaks it and infects others, make her responsible for their treatment and cleanup of all areas associated with her failure to comply. Make an example of her and no one else will do it. If she doesn't come down with the disease, great. No harm no foul. Personally, I feel the responsible route would be to keep isolated and contact with others to a minimum. It doesn't appear she has a family to be concerned about, which probably contributes to this self centered behavior.