<p>She did not have a fever.</p>
<p>Certainly there are workers at Bellevue who live in New Jersey. It’s right across the river.</p>
<p>The CNN article says the NJ health dept refuted some of Ms Hickoxs claims and said she got reading materials and computer access. I imagine it is difficult to get both sides of the story due to HIPPA patient privacy issues. </p>
<p>“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.”</p>
<p>But have they definitively determined that she is infected?! Nope. “Infected” she is not (since we at the present moment do not have the diagnostic means to say yeah!), and “necessary”, and “suitable” are up for debate.</p>
<p>I remember that the forehead thermometer tool showed an elevated temperature twice, while the oral one did not. </p>
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<p>Because NY and NJ announced the same policy at the same time. If she’d flown into New York, she’d be under quarantine. Assuming consistency.</p>
<p>What the governors of New York, New Jersey and Illinois have done is effectively shuffle the air traffic from West Africa to Dulles and Atlanta. </p>
<p>Interestingly, I was reading the Doctors without Borders website. The doctors are paid by DWB. So they are not exactly volunteers, which to me implies working without pay. If DWBs policy on monitoring is inadequate, then DWB should be held financially responsible if one of its doctors infects another person with Ebola. If DWB is sure that that will not happen, that their monitoring policy is sufficient, then they should be more than willing to indemnify for all the expenses in caring for a patient that one of its returning doctors infects. If they don’t want to do that, then they don’t have the courage of their convictions. </p>
<p>The other aid organization, Samaritan’s Purse requires its doctors to undergo quarantine for 21 days.</p>
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<p>That’s the state of New Jersey’s story, but it’s not her story. After she deplaned, she was held for seven hours at Newark Airport. Her temperature was repeatedly taken with a forehead scanner, which is not always accurate. Initially the forehead scanner read a normal temperature, but after four hours, it showed an elevated temperature. No oral thermometer ever showed an elevated temperature, and she says the doctor who examined her said she didn’t have a temperature.</p>
<p>In other words, either she had a temperature or the scanner read high because her face was flushed because she had just had a two day flight and then was inexplicably detained for four hours.</p>
<p>In any case, if she had a fever because she was developing Ebola, it wouldn’t have gone away while she was still being detained.</p>
<p>No LasMa, NJs order has to do with passengers arriving from West African countries. Whether you see that as no different is your prerogative, but that is not my problem. </p>
<p>Maybe the Governor needs to go into her tent and take her temp himself. He will likely find that it’s normal. She had 2 normal readings - one via forehead scan and one orally when she got to the hospital. Between the two after being held for several hours she had a forehead scan that was elevated. The doctor who head her temp AFTER that said she must have just been flushed. She does not currently have a temp. If she had a temp on Wednesday signaling the onset of illness certainly she would be in the second stage by now making full use of her camp toilet.</p>
<p>Bay, it’s likely some of Dr. Spencer’s caregivers are commuting to and from NJ on NJTransit, thus the relevance. Why aren’t they being placed into quarantine upon entrance to NJ?</p>
<p>“The CNN article says the NJ health dept refuted some of Ms Hickoxs claims and said she got reading materials and computer access. I imagine it is difficult to get both sides of the story due to HIPPA patient privacy issues.”</p>
<p>This has nothing to do with HIPAA - it is shoddy reporting, as usual. She was given access to a computer after the news aired her complaints. CNN itself reported in this morning.</p>
<p>I don’t know, electron, why don’t you research the order ?</p>
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<p>Whether I “see” it as no different? It IS no different. The <em>fact</em> is that the virus in West Africa is the identical virus which can be found in Bellevue Hospital. </p>
<p>Tatin, volunteering could mean donating time, money or both. The docs are not making a fortune; the pay is to reimburse them for living, travel, etc. expenses - $1731/month is not exactly a killer salary:</p>
<p>"Salary and Benefits</p>
<p>MSF salaries are set so as to reflect the humanitarian spirit of volunteerism while recognizing the high level of professional expertise provided by field staff. Starting gross monthly salary is approximately $1,731, with subsequent increases based on expertise and experience. Americans working in the field with MSF receive a US letter agreement in which all required taxes and contributions are deducted.</p>
<p>Benefits include:
•Pre-departure training through a combination of readings, e-learning and face-to-face modules and presentations
•Reimbursement of mission specific vaccinations
•Required visas and work permits
•Paid vacation (25 days per year)
•Accommodation and transportation in New York City and Europe for briefings and debriefings
•Daily per diem in local currency paid while in the field
•Accommodation in the field
•Round-trip transportation to the field
•Medical, disability and life insurance coverage
•Medical evacuation coverage
•Letter of support for student loan deferment
•Payment of interest on student loans after first field assignment and for six months thereafter
•Psychological support before and after mission
•Access to an Employee Assistance Program
•Confidential peer support network"</p>
<p>Bay, is Ebola somehow less virulent if it’s ridden into NJ in a car, rather than flying in on a plane? Is it somehow less virulent if it’s contracted on American soil? Just trying to understand what you think the difference is, and why you aren’t alarmed that Dr. Spencer’s providers are freely roaming the streets.</p>
<p>Well I guess you better go alert the governor’s office then, LasMa </p>
<p>If DWB feels that their monitoring protocol is sufficient and that their employees/volunteers (whatever you want to call them) will so carefully adhere to taking their temperatures and going to a hospital as soon as they become symptomatic then DWB should indemnify, that is reimburse, if its monitoring system fails.</p>
<p>The people trying so hard to stop the spread of Ebola in Africa should also be trying very hard not to introduce it and spread it beyond those borders. </p>
<p>And yes, Bellevue should be telling its employees who care for Dr. Spencer to stay off public transportation, stay home while not at work and generally not go out in public anymore than necessary. They should also be taking temperatures several times a day. </p>
<p>No, Bay, I’m interested in your thoughts. You stated that I was entitled to my opinion that there’s no difference. I assume that means you think there is a difference. </p>
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<p>I’m sure they’re doing all that. But they are not under quarantine. Why then should Ms. Hickox be quarantined?</p>
<p>I already said, LasMa, that the safety and protections afforded HCW is probably significantly different and better here than Africa, including the opportunity for infection. Your posts are becoming tiresome. You are free to be as outraged about the unequal treatment as you want. That is not my problem. </p>