Via American Medical Association (AMA): CDC releases new Ebola quarantine guidelines amid state-implemented quarantines. Ongoing coverage of state quarantine procedures for healthcare workers returning from West Africa led all three major network news broadcasts, as well as CNN’s Situation Room and Fox News’ Special report and several print sources, with a focus on the CDC’s release of new guidelines for quarantine procedures and how the military will implement their own guidelines. Barbara Starr reported for the CNN’s Situation Room (10/27) that, “at this point, the Federal government is going to stay out of the state’s way when it comes to putting together quarantine rules for individual states.” In a later report for CNN’s Situation Room (10/27), Elizabeth Cohen also noted that the CDC has no enforcement authority, and can only make quarantine recommendations, an observation also made by Ed Henry in the lead story for Fox News’ Special Report (10/27). Kate Snow reported for NBC Nightly News (10/27, lead story, 3:50, Williams) that over the past few days, “at least seven states have enacted some kind of quarantine,” while the Centers for Disease Control outlined new quarantine guidelines today, noting that the government also said today that US military personnel serving in West Africa “will all be quarantined on a military base in Italy for 21 days before returning home.” The Wall Street Journal (10/28, A1, Mckay, Nelson, Armour, Subscription Publication) reports on its front page that the CDC guidelines instruct high-risk people to spend 21 days in voluntary isolation upon return to the US. The guidelines recommend that anyone with direct exposure to Ebola avoid public settings. They would also be prevented from flying and should be subject to “direct active monitoring” involving a public health official. Thomas Frieden of the CDC explains that the recommendations must bear health workers in mind, saying “If we do things that make it very difficult for people to come back, if we turn them into pariahs instead of recognizing the heroic work that they’re doing, a couple of things may happen that none of us want to happen,” including workers hiding the degree of contact they have had. The New York Times (10/28, Shear, Tavernise, Subscription Publication) adds that returning healthcare workers will have to conduct “an in-person checkup” as well as a telephone conversation with local health officials. Frieden said of the measures, “We believed these are based on science. These add a strong level of protection.” Frieden also discussed state utilization of the guidelines, saying, “We found that health departments generally do follow C.D.C. guidelines,” but “If they wish them to be more stringent, that is within their authority.” The Times also notes that Gov. Terry McAuliffe of Virginia announced on Monday that his state would monitor passengers arriving from Ebola-stricken countries, and some could be subject to mandatory isolation. Also reporting on the CDC guidelines, the AP (10/28, Stobbe) notes that Maryland also announced quarantines for highest-risk healthcare workers. The CDC guidelines categorize people with potential exposure to Ebola in four ways, with highest-risk including anyone who handled infected fluids without proper protection. Frieden said that stricter state policies “have the effect of creating stigma or false impressions.” TIME (10/28, Park) notes that the American Medical Association’s president, Dr. Robert Wah, weighed in, saying: “It is critical that we respect and support U.S. health professionals who are volunteering to help bring this epidemic under control in West Africa. The AMA’s Code of Medical Ethics emphasizes that decisions related to quarantine or isolation be based on scientifically sound information. In the case of Ebola infection, relevant scientific evidence indicates that the virus is spread only through contact with the body fluids of symptomatic individuals.”
Posted on: Tue, 28 Oct 2014 14:00:26 +0000
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