‘Quarantine is destructive’
0 CommentsThe New England Journal of Medicine says the quarantine policies put in place by state governors are ‘more destructive than beneficial’:
We think the governors have it wrong.
What's this? This is an unbiased just-the-facts news timeline ('newsline') about Ebola, created by Newslines contributors. Become a contributor
Ebola is a disease caused by an ebolavirus. Symptoms start two days to three weeks after contracting the virus, with a fever, sore throat, muscle pain and headaches. Vomiting, diarrhea and rash follow, along with decreased function of the liver and kidneys. Victims bleed both within the body and externally. From 1976 through 2013, the World Health Organization reported a total of 1,716 cases. In 2013 an outbreak started in Guinea, spreading to neighboring African countries and infectied doctors, some of who were transported back to the US for treatment. The virus continues to claim victims as it spreads to more countries.
The New England Journal of Medicine says the quarantine policies put in place by state governors are ‘more destructive than beneficial’:
We think the governors have it wrong.
The Zaire strain of the virus survives the longest on glass surfaces stored at 39 fahrenheit, up to 50 days, and can remain alive on dry surfaces such as doorknobs and tables for several hours. The survival period is extended in moist environments, such as mucus. Researchers:
This study has demonstrated that filoviruses are able to survive and remain infectious, for extended periods when suspended within liquid and dried onto surfaces. Data from this study extend the knowledge on the survival of filoviruses under different conditions and provide a basis with which to inform risk assessments and manage exposure.
Medical records show that Duncan received the experimental drug six days after doctors first suspected he had the virus, but it was unable to prevent his death. Mukpo also received the drug, and survived.
Hickox is released from the tent outside University Hospital where she was being held in quarantine, and is allowed to take private transport home to Maine. Statement:
Since testing negative for Ebola on early Saturday morning, the patient being monitored in isolation at University Hospital in Newark has thankfully been symptom free for the last 24 hours. As a result, and after being evaluated in coordination with the CDC and the treating clinicians at University Hospital, the patient is being discharged.
Lawyers for Hickox say they are planning to have her removed from quarantine by filing a constitutional challenge to the mandatory quarantine orders. Siegel:
We believe that the medical experts should be directing these policies, not the politicians.
Gov. Cuomo announces that people arriving in New York State after having contact with Ebola victims in west Africa will be required to stay at home for 21 days, a modification that is more in line with federal guidance.
It’s a home quarantine but it is a mandatory quarantine…It’s not like a terrible task is being asked of you … you stay at home
Powers criticizes the international response as she begins a tour of Ebola-affected west Africa:
The international response to Ebola needs to be taken to a wholly different scale than it is right now. [Many countries are] signing on to resolutions and praising the good work that the United States and the United Kingdom and others are doing, but they themselves haven’t taken the responsibility yet to send docs, to send beds, to send the reasonable amount of money
An ambulance crew is full hazmat gear brings a five-year-old boy is to Bellevue after reporting a fever. He had been in Guinea, one of the three West African countries affected by the disease, in the past 21 days, While initially being examined, officials said the child did not have a fever, but later developed one around 7 a.m. Monday. After consulting with the hospital, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Health Department conducted a test for Ebola. Test results are expected within 12 hours. Health officials are also looking and other causes for the child’s symptoms
The online encyclopedia’s article about Ebola has been viewed around the same number of times in the last month as the WHO’s Ebola fact sheet, and the Ebola pages of WebMD and the Mayo Clinic. Wikiproject Medicine founder Dr. Jacob de Wolff, who is an internist at Northwick Park Hospital in London:
It is because Wikipedia is such a recognized brand — obviously the C.D.C. is still much more authoritative than we will ever be — that people will click on that link
The ER nurse says that Duncan denied contact with patients on his second visit to Texas Health Presbyterian:
I explained to him, ‘We are under the impression that you may have been exposed to Ebola.’ And I said, ‘Where are you from?’ And he told me Liberia. And I asked ‘Have you been in contact with anyone who’s been sick?’ No. He said no.
Two-year-old Fanta Kone dies after contracting the virus. Her grandmother traveled more than 600 miles from back to Mali from southern Guinea after her father died of the virus there. WHO:
The child’s symptomatic state during the bus journey is especially concerning, as it presented multiple opportunities for exposures – including high-risk exposures – involving many people.
The White House is pressing New York and New Jersey to reverse mandatory quarantine policies. Administration official:
[The decision is] uncoordinated, very hurried, an immediate reaction to the New York City case that doesn’t comport with science.
Gov. Scott signs an order requiring twice-daily monitoring for anyone returning from places the CDC designates as affected by Ebola:
Therefore, we are moving quickly to require the four individuals who have returned to Florida already – and anyone in the future who will return to Florida from an Ebola area – to take part in twice daily 21-day health evaluations with DOH personnel
Soldiers returning from Liberia are reported to be placed in isolation in Vicenza for 21 days. Among the 11 soliders reported to be in isolation is Maj. Gen. Williams, who was the commander of the U.S. Army in Africa but turned over duties to the 101st Airborne Division over the weekend. They were apparently met by Carabinieri in full uniform. If the policy continues, hundreds of soldiers will end up in isolation. Another 30 are due to fly in to the country Monday. The Pentagon refers to the quarantine as ‘enhanced monitoring’. The soldiers are confined to a building, and can’t see their families.
The Pentagon is building portable isolation units that can carry up to 12 Ebola patients for transport on military planes. It says it doesn’t expect to need them for the 3,000 U.S. troops heading to the region, as they are focused on building clinics, training personnel and testing patient blood samples.
We want to be prepared to care for the people we do have there just out of an abundance of caution
Pressure from the White House is reported to be behind Hickox’s release from quarantine. Administration official:
We have let the governors of New York, New Jersey, and others states know that we have concerns with the unintended consequences of policies not grounded in science may have on efforts to combat Ebola at its source in West Africa.
We have also let these states know that we are working on new guidelines for returning healthcare workers that will protect the American people against imported cases, while, at the same time, enabling us to continue to tackle this epidemic in West Africa.
Christie predicts all other states will take up the policy:
I think this is a policy that will become a national policy sooner rather than later
Reports say the reputation of the WHO is being damaged after the organization is faulted for foot-dragging and misjudgements, while Big Pharma, the West’s aid policies in Africa, and public faith in the industrialized world’s health systems are also questioned. Commentary in The Lancet:
Failures in leadership have allowed a preventable disease to spin out of control, with vast harms to social order and human dignity
The state Department of Public Health announces a 21-day quarantine for people who’ve had direct contact with West Africa Ebola patients. Gov. Quinn:
[This is a] common sense step
The WHO says cases of the virus now number more than 10,000, and 5,000 people have died. It says the true number could be higher, due to underreporting.
Newslines aims to give readers the complete unbiased news history of any topic. Become a contributor to add news about your favourite topic.
© The Social News Company Ltd.
Registered in Scotland: SC532497
This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.
OKLearn more×We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.
Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.
These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.
Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.
We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.
We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.
These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience.
If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here:
We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.
Google Webfont Settings:
Google Map Settings:
Google reCaptcha Settings:
Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:
The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: