Nurse plans to sue over Ebola quarantine

[Ms. Toad]

104. Putting her in a tent outside the hospital is politics.

There is a difference between being appropriate cautious (and I am at least receptive to the idea that a 21 day quarantine for anyone who has directly cared for Ebola patients, based on the behavior under voluntary restrictions of 2 of the last 3 caregivers to be diagnosed with Ebola), and political theater.

If the inside of a hospital is good enough to safely care for someone with end stage Ebola, it certainly provides enough safety to isolate someone who was merely exposed.

I am as concerned as you are that people are treating the risk of Ebola as zero, unless those with Ebola are actively and uncontrollably ill with diarrhea and vomiting. There is a middle ground where the risk of transmitting an infection is low, but not zero - and as deadly as Ebola is, I believe people need to err on the side of assuming any sign of illness in someone exposed to Ebola IS Ebola until proven otherwise. 2 of the last 3 exposed healthcare workers ignored at least the early stage for 2-3 days before removing themselves from contact - and if people (particularly health care workers) cannot be trusted to remove themselves on the first symptom, then (at a minimum) more active monitoring needs to be done - with quarantine restrictions imposed at the first sign.

But - justifying the political circus that happened to this nurse for the sake of safety, when all that needed to be done (at most) was to put her in an isolation room in the hospital, plays into those who insist that there is NO risk until there are unmistakeable symptoms - and that anyone who believes otherwise is fear-mongering.