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MSF Nurse Held in Isolation in New Jersey

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doctorswithoutborders.org - October 25, 2014

NEW YORK – Kaci Hickox, a Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) nurse who returned to the United States from Sierra Leone on October 24, 2014, is being held in a medical isolation facility at Newark University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey.  

Preliminary blood tests reveal that she does not have the Ebola virus.

Upon arrival at Newark Liberty International Airport at approximately 1:00 PM yesterday, Ms. Hickox was taken aside for screening. Her temperature was measured and was shown to be normal. She was nonetheless held at the airport. After three hours her temperature was again taken with a forehead temperature reader. The device revealed a slight elevation in temperature. After being left alone in a room for an additional three hours, she was transported by police escort to Newark University Hospital by medical personnel in full protective gear.

“There is a notable lack of clarity about the new guidelines announced yesterday by state authorities in New York and New Jersey,” said Sophie Delaunay, executive director of MSF. “We are attempting to clarify the details of the protocols with each state’s departments of health to gain a full understanding of their requirements and implications.”

Absent clarity of the new protocols, MSF is not in a position to comment on the guidelines themselves.

In accordance with existing federal guidelines, MSF reported Ms. Hickox’s pending arrival in the United States to relevant health authorities.

Upon arrival at Newark University Hospital, Ms. Hickox was placed in a tent set up as an isolation ward adjacent to the main hospital building.  Her temperature was again taken with an oral thermometer and was normal.

Hospital personnel are keeping her in isolation and have not informed her of any next steps, including additional blood tests to confirm Ebola infection with certainty.  

She has been issued with an order of quarantine, which does not clearly indicate how long she must remain in isolation.    

While she is being provided with food and water, the tent is not heated and she is dressed in uncomfortable paper scrubs. She was permitted to bring personal belongings into the tent.

Kaci has written a detailed account of her experience.
 
Doctors Without Borders is very concerned about the conditions and uncertainty she is facing and is attempting to obtain information from hospital officials.

While measures to protect public health are of paramount importance, they must be balanced against the rights of health workers returning from fighting the Ebola outbreak in West Africa to fair and reasonable treatment and the full disclosure of information to them, along with information about intended courses of action from local and state health authorities.

As throughout the Ebola crisis in West Africa, Doctors Without Borders has enacted strict protocols governing the return of its health workers to their home countries. The organization acts in full compliance with official public health regulations.

http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/article/msf-nurse-held-isolation-new-jersey

CLICK HERE - Kaci Hickox - UTA grad isolated at New Jersey hospital as part of Ebola quarantine

CLICK HERE - U.S. nurse quarantined over Ebola criticizes her treatment

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cnn.com - by Ray Sanchez and Elizabeth Cohen - October 25, 2014

New York (CNN) -- A mandatory 21-day quarantine imposed by New York and New Jersey on health care workers returning from West Africa after treating Ebola patients caught local and federal officials by surprise and spurred a heated debate on handling the spread of the virus. . .

. . . New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett is concerned that the mandatory quarantine will discourage doctors and nurses from volunteering to take care of Ebola patients in West Africa, according to her spokeswoman.

"We just want to make sure we don't inadvertently discourage volunteers who are going to West Africa to help control this epidemic,"said health department spokeswoman Jean Weinberg.

The new airport screening procedures require anyone who had direct contact with Ebola patients to remain in quarantine for up to three weeks.

In addition, people with a travel history to the affected regions but with no direct contact with Ebola patients will be "actively monitored ... and, if necessary, quarantined," according to the new policy. . .

(READ COMPLETE ARTICLE)

By Elizabeth Cohen, Leslie Holland and Josh Levs, CNN

Sun October 26, 2014

Kaci Hickox, a nurse placed under mandatory quarantine in New Jersey, went on CNN on Sunday and criticized the "knee-jerk reaction by politicians" to Ebola, saying "to quarantine someone without a better plan in place, without more forethought, is just preposterous."

Hickox, an epidemiologist who was working to help treat Ebola patients in Sierra Leone, has tested negative twice for Ebola and does not have symptoms, she said.

"This is an extreme that is really unacceptable, and I feel like my basic human rights have been violated," Hickox told CNN's Candy Crowley on "State of the Union."

She described herself as "physically strong" but "emotionally exhausted."

READ COMPLETE ARTICLE
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