Mandatory Ebola quarantine criticized

Doctors Without Borders, the New Jersey chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology disagree with the states' actions


Mandatory healthcare worker quarantines in three states and stricter monitoring in a fourth (Florida) following the Ebola diagnosis of an N.Y.C. doctor is sparking criticism, according to an article on the Modern Healthcare website.

Doctors Without Borders, the New Jersey chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology disagree with the states' actions.

The New York and New Jersey governors announced Friday that their states would require mandatory quarantines of all individuals returning from Guinea, Sierra Leone or Liberia who had medically treated or come into direct contact with individuals with Ebola. The governor of Illinois followed suit.

“Coercive measures like mandatory quarantine of people exhibiting no symptoms of Ebola and when not medically necessary raise serious constitutional concerns about the state abusing its powers,” said Udi Offer, executive director of the New Jersey Chapter of the ACLU, 

The mandatory quarantine order could frighten the public and deter sick individuals from seeking treatment out of fear of quarantine, Offer said.

The federal government has been pressuring New York and New Jersey to overturn their quarantine orders. Federal officials said total quarantines for healthcare workers are unnecessary and ineffective.

Read the article.

 

 



October 28, 2014


Topic Area: Safety


Recent Posts

Building Hospital Resilience in an Era of Extreme Weather

Expert Jennifer Mahan discusses the vulnerabilities healthcare facilities face during disasters and the infrastructure strategies that keep operations running.


Ennoble Care Falls Victim to Data Breach

Their investigation into the incident is still ongoing.


USDA Invests $73.8M to Aid in Livingston Hospital Expansion

Livingston Hospital will use the loan to modernize and construct a 56,000-square-foot addition to the hospital.


Why A Skilled Cleaning Staff Matters in Operating Rooms

Operating rooms are high-risk zones for infection due to invasive procedures and vulnerable patients, so competence in cleaning is critical.


General Leonard Wood Community Hospital Opening Date Set

The medical facility is designed to provide care to service members, retirees and their families.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.