EBOLA NURSE CONFINED AGAINST HER WILL: IM PREPARED TO FIGHT A nurse who was confined against her will at a New Jersey hospital after returning from West Africa where she treated Ebola patients said Wednesday that shes prepared to go to court if the state of Maine tries to quarantine her. Kaci Hickox spoke to NBCs Today show and ABCs Good Morning America from Fort Kent, where her boyfriend is a senior nursing student. She said she has so far abided by the states voluntary quarantine. She had no contact with anyone Tuesday and will have no human contact again Wednesday, she said. I dont plan on sticking to the guidelines, Hickox said on Today. I remain appalled by these home quarantine policies that have been forced upon me even though I am in perfectly good health. Her lawyer told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Hickox isnt willing to cooperate further unless the state lifts all or most of the restrictions. Hickox, who volunteered in Africa with Doctors Without Borders, was the first person forced into New Jerseys mandatory quarantine for people arriving at Newark Liberty International Airport from three West African countries. Hickox, who spent the weekend in a quarantine tent, said she never had Ebola symptoms and tested negative in a preliminary evaluation, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo were sharply criticized for ordering mandatory quarantines. I am not going to sit around and be bullied by politicians and forced to stay in my home when I am not a risk to the American public, she said. On Tuesday, Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew said her department and the attorney generals office were prepared to take legal steps to legally enforce the states voluntary quarantine if someone declines to cooperate. We do not want to have to legally enforce in-home quarantine, she said. Were confident that selfless health workers who were brave enough to care for Ebola patients in a foreign country will be willing to take reasonable steps to protect residents of their own country. One of Hickoxs lawyers, Norman Siegel, said the quarantine cant be voluntary if shes being coerced by the state. He said she returned Tuesday evening to Fort Kent and has a state trooper stationed outside her home. Maine Gov. Paul LePage canceled his campaign events Wednesday to deal with the situation, his office said. Siegel said he remains hopeful the state will ease its restrictions. If not, then the state would have to go to court, and Siegel would challenge the states action, he said. Our position is very simple. Theres no justification for the state of Maine to quarantine her. She has no symptoms and therefore shes not contagious. And shes not at a risk to the public or the health and welfare of people in the state of Maine, he said.
Posted on: Wed, 29 Oct 2014 23:24:30 +0000
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