Patient ignored advice to self-isolate after trip to Italy, attended business event, tested positive

[Tanuki]

I guess they assume some people won't be selfish and irresponsible.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/2020/03/04/coronavirus-patient-ignored-self-isolation-order-to-go-to-business-event/amp/

"A hospital worker who became New Hampshire’s first coronavirus patient had been ordered to self-isolate — but went to a college’s business event instead, health officials have revealed.

The selfish Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center staffer showed symptoms after returning from a trip to Italy, and was told to stay home while awaiting the test result, which came back positive Monday, health officials said.
.......
Having defied the first directive, the hospital worker was “issued an official order of isolation” after officially testing positive on Monday, officials said.

A close colleague of his at the hospital then became the Granite State’s second confirmed case on Tuesday, their hospital confirmed.

.....

The first patient, from Grafton County, had suffered “fever and respiratory symptoms” after returning from Italy, the health care officials said."....(more)

[leftieNanner]

1. OMFG!! A Hospital worker???

A health care professional???

Returned from Italy WITH symptoms and still attended a meeting???

That is beyond stupid and irresponsible.

SMDH

[stopdiggin]

4. it IS stupid and irresponsible

and also somewhat predictable, given human nature. Expect to see more.

[Ms. Toad]

15. Remember -

it was a hospital worker who got on a plane with a low-grade fever after known exposure to Ebola.

And I believe there is a similar story about a doctor (or medical student) in New York.

[matt819]

2. DHMC has more than 5,000 employees

So it could be health care worker or just about any other kind of staffer that a mid-sized company might have.

The main DHMC facility has just under 400 beds, and there have to be thousands of people moving through there on any given day.

Plus, there are two DHMC satellite locations in the region. More health care workers than admin/staffers.

The employee's stupidity aside, it's a fantastic facility.

[stopdiggin]

3. brings up a looming question

short of a police state (or some equivalent emergency powers) .. can authorities enforce quarantine and isolation against individuals based on mere suspicion? (this individual had NOT yet tested positive)

Think about this. It's an important question .. and it's coming right down the tracks.
And, remember .. we still do not have nearly enough tests (and some available have proven to be inaccurate) ..
So ....

[getagrip_already]

6. The CDC has the authority to detain and quarantine.....

And apparently so do state agencies.

https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/aboutlawsregulationsquarantineisolation.html

It's been used.

[stopdiggin]

7. without a positive test?

I'm not arguing for or against .. but I would suspect that a lot of judges would be very skeptical ....

[getagrip_already]

8. I'm not sure, but I suspect yes.....

These powers relating to public health and safety are pretty broad. Judges won't touch it unless could prove you were being detained for reasons other than health/public safety.

[stopdiggin]

10. suspect you're correct

powers are fairly broad (and, from the link you posted, almost open-ended .. which doesn't really thrill me .. but might be a good thing under the current circumstances.)

However .. sounds like in this case the DHHS waited until a positive test was available to make an official order ... And I suspect that's where we're at with a lot of these cases, where someone shows up at a doctors office or clinic .. and it is suggested that they stay home ...

snip -- was told to stay home while awaiting the test result, which came back positive Monday, health officials said.

“The first patient, despite having been directed to self-isolate, attended an invitation-only private event on Friday,” the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) warned in a release.

Having defied the first directive, the hospital worker was “issued an official order of isolation” after officially testing positive on Monday, officials said.

[Crunchy Frog]

11. Once a few judges come down with it

They might start to see things differently.

[stopdiggin]

13. very broad powers by the government

to incarcerate (with scant evidence) for whatever reason .. is something that we should probably always be chary of.

(even in cases like this where the reasons might be sound .. even essential for public safety.)

[Crunchy Frog]

14. I'm pretty sure that I can recall a whole lot of people

being forced to self quarantine during the Ebola outbreak, based on contacts, and with no symptoms.

I'm pretty sure none of them actually got it, but I think it was a sensible precaution.

In any event, if a deadly pandemic comes sweeping across our country, it's going to happen, no matter how chary you might be feeling.

[stopdiggin]

17. there were not in fact

a whole lot of people (at least in this country) forced to self-quarantine due to Ebola.

I agree with sensible precautions. And I agree with public safety measures. Also remember that a lot of what was floating around (mostly by pandering politicians) during the Ebola scare was NOT sensible .. not science based .. and not supported by health authorities.

So I guess you can pick your poison ...

[Ms. Toad]

16. Got one potential in our community

Traveled to Italy. Her daughter (who lives in France) met her there. Daughter had fever, chills, etc. right after meeting.

She (judge) came back home - no one in Philly or Cleveland airports screened her at all. A day later she woke up to the possibility that she might have been exposed and contacted the local board of health (which had no information).

She's self-quarantining, but only 14 days from when she last saw her daughter, not from when she was in Italy. They won't test her, since her daughter is not a confirmed case.


. . . but in an added bit of stupidity, she says that if her daughter tests positive she wants to hop on a plane and fly back to be with her.

[cbdo2007]

5. Well of course, this is 'Merica!!! Don't take my guns and don't tell me to self isolate!!!

*sarcasm*

[misanthrope]

19. Exactly, we live in a society that worships selfishness

It should be assumed Americans are going to be more prone to this kind of behavior.

[gratuitous]

9. Perhaps this person heard of Osmel Azcue

He's the guy in Florida who showed symptoms after coming back from China, checked into a hospital, and asked to be tested for the flu. Instead, the hospital put him in quarantine, and Azcue wound up with a very large hospital bill.

Thanks to the hapless, unfocused response to the outbreak by our federal government, citizens don't have any guidance about what to do if they develop symptoms. Stay home and get fired? Go to the hospital and get quarantined? Go about your business and infect others?

[cwydro]

12. Remember that Today Show doctor during the Ebola crisis? Nancy something.

Was supposed to self quarantine after visiting an Ebola hotspot, but went out for lunch or something.

Ruined her TV career I think.

[abqtommy]

18. Looks like we need forced quarantine. Throw the anti-vaxxers in for good measure...

[Blue_Tires]

20. Sometimes I start to think the human race is too dumb to save itself...