http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/222228-maine-seeking-legal-authority-to-enforce-ebola-quarantineMaine vows to enforce quarantine of nurse
By Sarah Ferris - 10/29/14 02:20 PM EDT
Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) on Wednesday said he will seek “legal authority” to force a nurse into quarantine for Ebola.
The governor’s office said it is working with state and federal health officials on the quarantine of Kaci Hickox, who volunteered in Sierra Leone for Doctors Without Borders.
“We hoped that the healthcare worker would voluntarily comply with these protocols, but this individual has stated publicly she will not abide by the protocols,” LePage wrote in a statement. “While we certainly respect the rights of one individual, we must be vigilant in protecting 1.3 million Mainers, as well as anyone who visits our great state.”
LePage said Maine health officials have tracked Hickox’s care and movement since Monday and that state police are also monitoring her home in Fort Kent.
Hickox on Wednesday said she would not comply with the state’s three-week quarantine policy and be "bullied by politicians," when she doesn't pose a risk to the public.
"I do understand that [Ebola] has created a lot of fear, but we still have to make policies based on evidence," she told NBC’s “Today" show.
The Maine resident is the first person in the United States to be quarantined without known direct exposure to Ebola. She has not shown symptoms of the virus.
The Obama administration has given state and local health departments the final say on quarantine policies related to Ebola. Federal health officials have stressed that even individuals who carry the virus can't spread it before they show symptoms.
Doctors Without Borders, also known by its French name, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), said Wednesday that it supports Hickox’s defiance of the policy.
“MSF respects Kaci’s right as a private citizen to challenge excessive restrictions being placed upon her,” according to a statement. “We are proud to have her as a member of our organization.”
The organization has strongly condemned the quarantine policies that have been put in place by several states, beginning with New Jersey. The federal government has also denounced policies that involve quarantines, though it says it will enforce that protocol for any troops serving in Ebola-stricken regions.
Hickox was first held in New Jersey, where she caught public attention for spending several hours in a tent outside a New Jersey hospital. After she threatened to sue, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) announced she could be transferred to her home state of Maine to carry out the quarantine.
Hickox's attorney said earlier this week she would stay in her home and not venture into large public places.
