<p>There is no serious doubt that states and the feds have the right to quarantine. But they don’t have the right to quarantine just anyone. If they tried to quarantine me for reading about Ebola, for example, I’m pretty sure a judge would spring me rapidly.</p>
<p>Excellent point, saintfan! And electronblue, who made the same point in #2572!</p>
<p>What about it, Bay? What about all the doctors and all the nurses, aides, lab personnel, janitors, laundry crew who are working with Dr. Spencer at Bellvue? What about the kitchen workers who handle his used dishes? What about the EMTs who transported him? Should they also be locked up for 21 days with a portapotty and a paper gown? After all, they meet the same criteria as Ms. Hickox does: direct contact with an Ebola patient, or his virus-laden linens/blood/dishes.</p>
<p>Define “necessary” and “suitable”:</p>
<hr>
<p><strong><em>N.J.S.A. 26:4-2</em></strong>
26:4-2. Powers of Department of Health and local boards; declaration of public health emergency</p>
<p>In order to prevent the spread of disease affecting humans, the Department of Health , and the local boards of health within their respective jurisdictions and subject to the State sanitary code, shall have power to:</p>
<p>a. Declare what diseases are communicable.
b. Declare when any communicable disease has become epidemic.
c. Require the reporting of communicable diseases.
d. Maintain and enforce proper and sufficient quarantine, wherever deemed necessary.
e. Remove any person infected with a communicable disease to a suitable place, if in its judgment removal is necessary and can be accomplished without any undue risk to the person infected.
f. Disinfect any premises when deemed necessary.
g. Remove to a proper place to be designated by it all articles within its jurisdiction, which, in its opinion, shall be infected with any matter likely to communicate disease and to destroy such articles, when in its opinion the safety of the public health requires it.</p>
<p>In the event the Governor declares a public health emergency, the department shall oversee the uniform exercise of these powers in the State and the local board of health shall be subject to the department’s exercise of authority under this section.</p>
<p>Christie is now saying NJ residents can quarantine themselves at home upon return from caring for African patients. Uh, what sense does that make? Why not just let people traveling through do so? How does any of this protect the people of NJ which has been his mantra on this nurse being imprisoned?</p>
<p>I doubt that is what the quarantine order says. It has to do with passengers arriving from West African countries hit hard by the virus. </p>
<p>Bay, but since we value consistency – right? – there can be no justification for locking up Ms. Hickox while allowing Dr. Spencer’s healthcare workers to roam free. They are being exposed to the same virus that she was exposed to.</p>
<p>from the Governor’s facebook page:
Again, as I said on Friday…We will make those judgments and Department of Health will make those judgments where need be, what the most appropriate location for that is. If the person is not a resident of our state already. Obviously if they’re already a resident of New Jersey then they can quarantine in their own homes under a quarantine order.</p>
<p>It worries me that this could get turned into an “us and them” deal like AIDS. I think it’s dangerous to get the idea that this disease is just “over there” and something that foreigners and “do gooders” get and bring here. There is now a dichotomy set up between the nurse who is under quarantine and all the health care professionals who have treated and are treating patients in the United States. The public comments are particularly disturbing to me saying that our troops overseas would be glad to have such plush accommodations as if the quarantined nurse is un-American for fussing. This just seems to be devolving into a proxy fight over other things and the scientific/medical issues will get lost in the shuffle which could hurt us long term.</p>
<p>Ha! And if they are not already a resident of the state of New Jersey we’ll make them sorry they ever disembarked here?</p>
<p>If you think so, LasMa. I don’t see consistency in treatment and protections between the two countries. And I haven’t seen the wording of the order so I don’t know exactly what it says. </p>
<p>The regulations Bunsen quotes say that if NJ declares a public health emergency, they have the enumerated powers.</p>
<p>But NJ has not declared a public health emergency, probably because they haven’t got a public health emergency.</p>
<p>To quote you, Bay, LOL.</p>
<p>The two countries has nothing to do with it. The fact is, Ms. Hickox is negative for the virus. The fact is, she is asymptomatic. Therefore – at least, in the reality-based community – she is no more a threat than Dr. Spencer’s caregivers are.</p>
<p>The Governor’s job is to protect the citizens of his state. If the federal government wants to step in and try to preempt state action I imagine they can try to do that, but the Feds haven’t done anything yet. </p>
<p>I thought the nurse recorded a fever.</p>
<p>That doesn’t answer the question. </p>
<p>Ms. Hickox was exposed to Ebola, but is currently negative for the virus and symptom-free. Dr. Spencer’s healthcare providers are being exposed to Ebola and, one presumes, they are currently negative for the virus and symptom-free.</p>
<p>The question is: Why the different treatment? </p>
<p>Whether Hickox’s quarantine – which I think it beyond absurd – is legal or not, can we at least agree that there is no reason she should be deprived of her clothing, reasonable facilities, reading material, etc? </p>
<p>I don’t know, LasMa, why don’t you ask the Governors office?</p>
<p>I can’t believe anyone thinks anything about this nurse’s (likely illegal) situation is funny. </p>
<p>Kaci Hickox is a resident of Maine, not NJ.</p>
<p>Isn’t Dr. Spencer in NY? Why are you asking about him with regard to what NJ is doing?</p>