Ebola in America: Should We Quarantine? Essay Example

Now that the Ebola virus has spread to the United States, many Americans are afraid of becoming infected.Some states, such as New Jersey, are forcing mandatory quarantines on people entering the United States from countries in West Africa.Kaci Hickox, or “the Ebola nurse,” made headlines when she filed a federal lawsuit against the state of New Jersey forputting her in quarantine against her will.  The purpose of this paper is to use the case of Kaci Hickox to question if quarantining a person against their will is ethical, even if they are a risk to public health.

Kaci Hickox arrived at Liberty International Airport from Sierra Leone, where she was working as a nurse for Doctors Without Borders.  She was running a high temperature, one of the symptoms of the Ebola virus, and was promptly quarantined.  Hickox was held in a cold isolation tent in the parking lot of University Hospital in Newark, with nothing but paper scrubs.  She filed a federal lawsuit and was released to her home in Maine.  She was asked to remain indoors for the duration of her quarantine.

As much as I agree with Hickox that her basic human rights were violated, there is still much unknown about the Ebola virus.  Her actions, while understandable, should not permit her to potentially infect others.  Many of the early symptoms of Ebola are similar to the stomach flu, and many healthcare providers are not prepared to effectively diagnose the disease. While it is an infringement on the rights of American citizens to quarantine them against their will, it may be necessary to monitor exposed individuals and prevent any potential transmissions. However, the need to prevent the spread of the virus should not permit inhumane treatment.  If Hickox had been treated as a hero, and had her quarantine in comfortablesurrounding, Ihighly doubt she would have needed to file a federal lawsuit.  Individuals who have been exposed to the Ebola virus should be quarantined to prevent the spread of the disease and to ensure that they receive proper care if they become ill.  However, exposed individuals should be treated with dignity and provided with every luxury and comfort for the duration of their quarantine.

Works Cited

Schabner, Dean. “Nurse in Ebola Quarantine to Sue for Freedom; Feds Push Back on State Rules.” ABC News. 26 Oct

2014: n. page. Web. 4 Dec. 2014. <http://abcnews.go.com/Health/nurse-ebola-quarantine-sue-freedom-feds-push-back/story?id=26466975>.